USPTO Extends its After Consideration Pilot Project
The patents commissioner has announced that the After Consideration Pilot Project 2.0 (AFCP 2.0), which had been scheduled to expire December 14, 2013, is being extended through September 30, 2014. The same procedures and requirements will apply during the extension. I have found this procedure useful in obtaining allowance in several cases where there was Read More »
Patentablity – KSR v Teleflex Revisited
The Federal Circuit Court of Appeals has taken the opportunity to remind the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences (now the Patent Trial and Appeal Board), as well as the district courts, that they are to give a holistic, rather than narrowly-focused view of the prior art when evaluating patentablity. In Randall Mfg. v. Rea Read More »
Patent Legislation Introduced in Congress
Pending Patent legislation that has been recently introduced in the 113th Congress includes two notable bills: the “Innovation Protection Act” — HR 3349 (Conyers), and the “Innovation Act” — HR 3309 (Goodlatte). The Innovation Protection Act is intended to fully fund the USPTO, establishing an “Enterprise Fund” that would let the USPTO keep the funds Read More »
2014 Patent Fee Schedule to Reduce Some Fees
The new patent office fee schedule that goes into effect in January 2014 will reduce (or eliminate) some fees, while raising some other fees to be paid later on. This impacts the issue fee(s) that the applicants have to pay before the USPTO will grant a patent on an allowed patent application. The issue fees, Read More »