Through the Enhanced Patent Quality Initiative, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is rolling out programs to enhance overall patent quality. The latest program rolled out was the Post-Prosecution Pilot (P3) Program, which...more
Due to the relatively short shelf life for some consumer products, it can be important to quickly obtain patent protection for such products. Obtaining patent protection early in the life of such products can help inventors...more
The US Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) has extended the After Final Consideration Pilot 2.0 (AFCP 2.0) and the Quick Path Information Disclosure Statement (QPIDS) pilot programs until September 30, 2017. ...more
The prosecution of a patent application before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) can be a prolonged and costly process. The patent prosecution process can include the issuance of an Office Action by the USPTO and...more
Patentable Subject Matter after Alice: Best Practices for Responding to 35 U.S.C. § 101 Rejections - It has been over 20 months since the Supreme Court handed down the landmark decision in Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank Int’l,...more
The USPTO is inviting stakeholders to suggest topics for patent quality case studies. As explained in the December 21, 2015 Federal Register Notice, “the USPTO performs case studies to investigate specific quality-related...more
USPTO Extends After Final Consideration Pilot 2.0 Program - Last week, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office indicated on its website and through a Patents Alert e-mail that the After Final Consideration Pilot 2.0 (AFCP...more
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has extended its After Final Consideration Pilot 2.0 and Quick Path Information Disclosure Statement programs through September 30, 2016. The programs are part of the USPTO’s...more
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) just announced it has extended the After Final Consideration Pilot program (AFCP 2.0) and the Quick Path Information Disclosure Statement program (QPIDS), which are now...more
On October 1, 2014, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) announced the After Final Consideration Pilot 2.0 (“AFCP 2.0”) – a program intended to provide new features that will enhance communication between...more
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) just announced that the After Final Consideration Pilot 2.0 (AFCP 2.0) has been extended to December 14, 2013. The AFCP 2.0 was previously scheduled to expire on September...more
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has launched an updated version of its After Final Consideration Pilot Program (AFCP 2.0). ...more
USPTO Modifies After Final Consideration Pilot Program - Earlier this month, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published a notice in the Federal Register (78 Fed. Reg. 29117) regarding modifications to the After...more