USPTO - America Invents Act Virtual Marking & Satellite Reports

The USPTO submitted its Virtual Marking Report (September 16) and Satellite Office Report (September 29) to Congress.

As stated in the USPTO press release: "In the Virtual Marking Report, the agency addressed the effectiveness of virtually marking an article with the word "patent" or abbreviation "pat." followed by a website address where the article is associated with the relevant protective patents as an alternative to physically marking the article with the patent information. The Report also addressed whether virtual marking has limited or improved the public's access to patent information along with potential legal issues that arise from virtual marking. Lastly, the agency considered possible deficiencies in constructive notice arising from virtual marking as compared with physical marking. Information contained in the Virtual Marking Report was drawn from public input provided in response to a Federal Register Notice.

In the Satellite Office Report, the agency explained the criteria used to select the location of its four satellite offices as well as the process and timing to build out those offices. The Report also delved into the achievements of the satellite offices, including their impact on the patent application backlog and pendency, examiner recruitment and retention, and stakeholder outreach.

The PTO has one final AIA report to complete dealing with the agency's overall implementation of the AIA. That report is not due until September 2015."

Copyright © 2014 Robert Moll. All rights reserved.

USPTO - Silicon Valley Satellite Office will be in San Jose City Hall

Today, the USPTO announced the Silicon Valley satellite office will be permanently housed in the San Jose City Hall building at 200 East Santa Clara Street. The office is expected to open in late 2014.

The City of San Jose, California state assembly’s speaker’s office, plus a California congressional delegation decided to do that rare thing in politics today work together for the public's benefit. I was also surprised to read that the City of San Jose offered this space rent free for two years.

For details: USPTO Press Release: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Selects San Jose City Hall as Permanent Space for Silicon Valley Satellite Office - Generosity from City of San Jose and California State Assembly Speaker’s Office Put Site Selection Back on Track Following Sequestration

Copyright © 2013 Robert Moll. All rights reserved.

USPTO Stops Search for a Permanent Facility for the Silicon Valley Satellite Office

Today, the San Jose Mercury News reports the USPTO has stopped the search for a permanent facility for the Silicon Valley satellite office due to budget uncertainties generated by sequestration. For details Permanent home for Silicon Valley patent Office put on hold.

Updated July 20, 2013: USPTO Director's Forum: A Blog from USPTO's Leadership - An Update on Our Dallas, Denver, and Silicon Valley Offices and Silicon Valley Business Journal Patent Office confirms ... we're still on indefinite hold.

Copyright © 2013 Robert Moll. All rights reserved.

USPTO - Silicon Valley satellite patent office faces delay

As you may recall the USPTO selected Silicon Valley for a satellite patent office in June 2012. Still without a permanent facility, federal budget cuts may be causing the delay in getting there. The federal government says it needs to hold 5% of PTO user fees, worth $148 million, to a general fund. This seems wrong when you consider many applicants are citizens of foreign countries. Applicants should be able to use the US patent system without their money being used to prop up the federal tax and spend policies.

For details Silicon Valley patent office faces possible 'indefinite' delay

Copyright © 2013 Robert Moll. All rights reserved.

Patent Planet's Most Popular Posts - December 2011 - 2012

Almost midnight in Los Altos, California. I am struggling with the task of writing up a summary of the most important patent news in 2012. Hmm lots of material to consider (212 published posts plus 11 draft posts). Finally, I decided to take the easier route: let Blogger Stats do the work. Yes, that's my ticket out of here!

Based on total pageviews - the top ten posts on Patent Planet from December 2011 - 2012:

1. WildTangent v. Ultramercial - Supreme Court Rejects Federal Circuit Decision on 35 USC 101

2. Failure to Patent Mark - Losing Easy Money

3. Third Party Preissuance Submissions of Prior Art

4. The Banana Grab - Market Share Can Change

5. Patent Reexamination Has Arrived for Both Parties - Oracle v. Google

6. America Invents Act - Ex Parte Reexamination Fees Increase & Inter Partes Review Replaces Inter Partes Reexamination on September 16, 2012

7. Board of Patent Appeals Backlog Enormous and Growing

8. USPTO Satellite Office in San Jose Delayed

9. Richard Stallman and Professor Duffy Clash - Solutions to the Software Patent Problem - Santa Clara University - November 16, 2012

10. America Invents Act - Final Rules for Third Party Preissuance Submissions

Happy New Year!

Copyright © 2012 Robert Moll. All rights reserved.

USPTO Satellite Office in San Jose Delayed

On July 2, 2012, the USPTO announced plans to open a satellite patent office in San Jose, California. I posted on this here. I noticed on Google statistics, a number of readers were interested in this news. 

Today, the SF Chronicle reports we face delay: Patent office in San Jose may take time. No one is legally "out of bounds" because the America Invents Act (AIA) only requires the satellite offices open no later than September 16, 2014. At the same time, the SF Chronicle notes progress is lacking. Representative Zoe Lofgren's office reports they are scouting around for temporary space to "plug in some computers." Meanwhile, Detroit's satellite patent office is open for business.

Copyright © 2012 Robert Moll. All rights reserved.

USPTO Satellite Office in San Jose - More Articles

Here are more articles since I posted USPTO satellite office in San Jose! on July 1:

Effort to speed patents, new Silicon Valley Office - San Francisco Chronicle

Law Blog Patent Roundup: The PTO Spreads Its Wings, More - Wall Street Journal (blog)

New Patent Office to Help Out Silicon Valley - NBC San Diego (blog)

New Patent Office Fighting Tech Giants for Talent Wired (blog) - Wired (blog)

O'Brien: With new patent office comes obligation for Silicon Valley to help ... - San Jose Mercury News

Seattle won't get patent office - Seattle Post Intelligencer

New Patent office Brings Excitement to Bay Area - NBC Los Angeles (blog)

Copyright © 2012 Robert Moll. All rights reserved.