Streamlined, Expedited Patent Appeal Program for Small Entities Announced by USPTO As of September 18, 2015, small or micro entities with only a single ex parte appeal pending before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) will be able to expedite review of their appeal in exchange for streamlining the process. According to the information provided on the USPTO website, the criteria for qualification for this […] Continue Reading →
Patent Office Extends After Final Consideration Pilot Program The After Final Consideration Pilot (AFCP 2.0) program provides patent applicants at the USPTO with the opportunity to address issues that may remain in an application after a final rejection has issued. The AFCP 2.0 program is something of an exception to typical procedure, wherein a patent examiner has considerable discretion as to whether to […] Continue Reading →
Patenting Ideas Previously Disclosed in an Earlier-Filed Provisional Application but Later-Filed Non-Provisional Application Can an idea that has already been conceived (and published) still be patented? The scenario appears possible based on a recent holding from the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Many know that nearly all publicly available information with a publication date prior to the filing date of a patent application can […] Continue Reading →
Expanded Powers of the USITC Under 19 U.S.C. ยง1337(b)(1) the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) is authorized to investigate allegations of unfair trade acts in the importation of articles that infringe a valid United States patent. If a violation of the statute is found, the USITC issues an exclusion order that bars the importation of some or all of the […] Continue Reading →