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Amazon Develops Drones that React to Human Gestures

By Gregory Lars Gunnerson

The technology of U.S. Patent No. 9,921,579, which issued on March 20, 2018, may help Amazon grapple with how flying robots might interact with human bystanders and customers waiting on their doorsteps. Apple engineer Frederik Schaffalitzky (formerly an engineer for Amazon) is the sole inventor responsible for these recent technological innovations. While, the parent patent […]

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Japan Invests in Astronautical Start-ups

By Gregory Lars Gunnerson

Michael Sheetz of CNBC reports “Japan is offering $940 million to fund space start-ups in a new push to grow the industry, the government announced Tuesday at an event in Tokyo” and that “funds will be made available through investments and loans over the next five years, as part of a government-led initiative to double […]

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SCOTUS to Examine Extraterritorial Infringement Liability and Damages

By Blog Staff

As a follow up to the MVS Briefs Article, “Extraterritorial Infringement Liability,” authored by Heidi S. Nebel, this blog post examines the briefing in the Western Geco LLC v. ION Geophsycial Corp. case set for oral argument before the United States Supreme Court on April 16, 2018. The question presented to the Court is “[w]hether […]

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Patentability and Patent Protection: Is the Pendulum Starting to Swing Back?

The latest US Chamber of Commerce Global Innovation Policy Center’s International IP Index still places the US on top overall for intellectual property. However, this is due to strength in enforcement of copyrights and trademarks, and improvements in identifying counterfeit goods before they enter the country. According the to Index, the US has dropped to […]

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Patent Proposals in Congress

By Kirk M. Hartung

Since the creation of patent reviews at the Patent Office Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) by the America Invents Act of 2011, a very high percentage of reviewed patents have been declared invalid. Now, a bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives which could change these statistics. The bill also could revive issuance […]

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Inventor of Long-Range Air Communications with Conformal Antennas Inducted into Hall of Fame

By Gregory Lars Gunnerson

Howard S. Jones, Jr. has been posthumously honored as a 2018 inductee into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for his innovative work in developing conformal antennas.  This invention has been crucial for the development of  enhanced capabilities for spacecraft, rockets and other aeronautical technologies. March 1, 2018 marked the 41st anniversary of the issuance of U.S. […]

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A New Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) is Available / So is A Revised Chapter 2000 For Duty of Disclosure

By Blog Staff

A New Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP), the ninth edition, Revision 08.2017, was made electronically available on January 25, 2018 According to the PTO bulletin for the new MPEP, the revision includes changes to chapters 200, 700-1000, 1200, 1400, 1500, 1800, 2000-2300, 2500, and 2700. Each section that has been substantively revised has an […]

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Just Because It’s Nanoscale, Doesn’t Mean It’s Not a Big Deal

By Jonathan L. Kennedy

Nanotechnology has been taking innovation by storm for decades now and its only increasing its footprint. This is reflected in the growing number of granted patents and published applications directed to nanotechnology inventions. For example, according to StatNano (an organization that monitors and publishing information regarding nanotechnology global developments), more than 20,000 granted patents and […]

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In Memoriam–Michael Voorhees

By Heidi Sease Nebel

IN MEMORIAM Michael G. Voorhees 1941-2018  We are deeply saddened by the loss of an exceptional friend, partner, advocate, and leader. Mike was born in Des Moines, Iowa on April 17, 1941 and received degrees from Iowa State University and Drake Law School. He practiced law in St. Louis, before joining the firm in 1970. […]

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Patent Covering Methods of Advanced Genomic Selection from Guinea Pigs to Corn Survives Opposition in EU

By Cassie J. Edgar

Effectively protecting improved genetics requires a multi-pillared strategy considering the biological organisms themselves, methods of use, methods of breeding, and any regulatory data protection. The EPO recently upheld a patent (EP 2813141, granted August 5, 2015) drawn to methods of breeding using genome-wide estimated breeding values (EBVs) to identify combinations of individuals in a population […]

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