Public Comments on the USPTO's Proposed Rules to Implement the America Invents Act

The USPTO published 374 public comments on the proposed rules to implement the America Invents Act (AIA):

• Inter Partes Review
• Post-Grant Review
• Transitional Program for Covered Business Method Patent Review
• Definition of Technological Invention
• Derivation Proceedings
• Umbrella Administrative Trial Rules and Practice Guide
• Genetic Diagnostic Testing
• Statute of Limitations Provisions for Office Disciplinary Proceedings
• Patent Public Advisory Committee Public Hearings on the Proposed Patent Fee Schedule
• Satellite Offices for the Nationwide Workforce
• Supplemental Examination and Revision of Reexamination Fees
• Inventor's Oath or Declaration 
• Preissuance Submissions by Third Parties
• Post Patent Provisions
• Leahy-Smith America Invents Act Implementation

The USPTO also published 24 comments in response to the PPAC hearings on the proposed patent fees.

The USPTO is reviewing the public comments as it develops the final rules issuing no later than August 16, 2012 and the final patent fees issuing June - July 2012.

Copyright © 2012 Robert Moll. All rights reserved.

AIPLA - Comments on the America Invents Act

The American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) is the largest organization of IP lawyers in the US. When I joined the "P" in AIPLA stood for patents and it was the largest organization of patent attorneys. Shortly, after AIPLA realized some members handled other intellectual property matters such as copyrights, trademark, trade secrets, and unfair competition and changed the meaning of "P" to property, leaving the acronym intact, but diluting the patent focus.

Anyway, the AIPLA's website, publications, email alerts, and conferences keep members abreast on changes in the law. Because it is still very much a group of patent attorneys, the AIPLA has focused on the proposed rules and fees to implement the America Invents Act (AIA). The AIPLA has many members who focus on patent law, and presents fair, balanced, and workable comments. It may not be fun to read AIPLA comments, but it is still worth the time if you want an early look at what may be the final PTO rules and fees.

I have listed links to AIPLA comments on the proposed rules and fees to implement the AIA:

Fee setting authority

Statute of limitations for Office discipline

Changes to the inventor's oath or declaration

Preissuance submissions of prior art by third parties

Citation of patent owners' written statements regard claim scope and estoppel on ex parte reexamination requests by third parties

Supplemental examination and revised reexamination fees

Copyright © 2012 Robert Moll. All rights reserved.

PTO America Invents Act Roadshow - Videos and Slides

The PTO America Invents Act (AIA) team recently finished its roadshow on the proposed PTO rules. It visited Alexandria, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Salt Lake City, and Sunnyvale, California on the dates below. If you didn't attend, the PTO has given links to videos of the programs as presented in Alexandria, VA and Sunnyvale, CA as well as links to slides in all the cities:

AIA Roadshow Videos

• Opening Remarks
• Patents: Pre-issuance Submission and Inventor’s Oath/Declaration
• Patents: Miscellaneous Post Patent and Supplemental Examination
• Board: Specific Rules for Post Grant Review, Inter Partes Review, Covered Business Method Review, and Derivation
• Board: Umbrella Rules
• Closing Remarks

AIA Roadshow Slides

• Alexandria, VA (February 17, 2012)
• Sunnyvale, CA (February 24, 2012)
• Salt Lake, UT (February 27, 2012)
• Dallas, TX (February 29, 2012)
• Ft. Lauderdale, FL (March 2, 2012)
• Boston, MA (March, 5, 2012)
• Chicago, IL (March 7, 2012)

Copyright © 2012 Robert Moll. All rights reserved.