As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, patent offices worldwide are taking steps to minimize negative impacts that patent and trademark filers may suffer. ...more
The Hogan Lovells IP & Media Technology team is tracking the changes being made by intellectual property offices around the world in response to the coronavirus so we can keep you informed on the key developments....more
Many offices have asked their employees to work from home, potentially causing delays. Most or all offices, including the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and European Patent Office (EPO), are conducting oral...more
China - On 28 January 2020, CNIPA (China's National Intellectual Property Administration) published its Notice 350 (see here, in Chinese), which is applicable to both trademark and patent matters....more
China - On 28 January 2020, CNIPA (China's National Intellectual Property Administration) published its Notice 350, which is applicable to both trademark and patent matters....more
On March 15, 2020, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office announced its offices will be closed to the public until further notice, "out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of the public and USPTO employees."...more
EUIPO - For those with European Union Trademarks (EUTMs), the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) in Alicante, Spain remains open although all staff are now working from home and it has extended all...more
Last week, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) hosted the annual meeting of the heads of the world’s five largest intellectual property offices, commonly referred to as the IP5 (see a related press release)....more
On April 27th, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office held a Patent Quality Community Symposium at the Office in Alexandria, VA (consistent with its efforts to disseminate its workforce into regional offices, the offices in...more
USPTO and INPI Establish PPH Pilot Program - On November 23, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and Brazil's National Institute for Industrial Property (INPI) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a...more
On November 20, 2015, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) launched Dossier Access – a public online interface providing access to the file histories of related applications from participating patent offices around...more
Now more than ever one needs to ensure value for money in creating and maintaining a patent portfolio. Not only are budgets decreasing or stagnant, but the number of countries that need to be considered is increasing. ...more
The European Patent Office (EPO) has been a desirable venue for seeking patent protection in Europe. For instance, a patent application granted by the EPO can provide patent protection in many European countries, such as the...more
The EPO has announced rule changes that will provide applicants with the option to have additional searches carried out during the European regional phase of Euro-PCT applications....more
Patent services provider inovia announced the release of its 2013 report on global patent and IP trends today. In compiling the report, inovia, which produces products for PCT national phase entry, European patent...more
As mentioned in my previous post on the Cooperative Patent Classification system (CPC), the International Patent Classification system (IPC), on which the CPC is based, is used by more than 100 patent offices around the...more
Just this past January, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the European Patent Office (EPO) each announced the launch of the Cooperative Patent Classification system (CPC) as the official system for classifying...more
In This Issue: *News From The Bench: - Claim Construction: “Only One” Or “More Than One.” - No Need To Include Claim Construction in Design Patent Infringement Complaint. - CAFC Finds That Adapting...more
In a press release issued earlier today, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office announced that examination guidelines and the final rule for implementing the first-inventor-to-file (FITF) provisions of the Leahy-Smith America...more
In This Issue: *News From the Bench - Enough Already, Supreme Court Tells Petitioner in Mythology-Laced Opinion. - Divided Fed. Circuit Affirms Patentability of Claims to a 12-Can Dispenser Carton. ...more
USPTO and EPO Announce Formal Launch of Cooperative Patent Classification System - On January 2, both the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and European Patent Office announced the formal launch of the Cooperative Patent...more