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The USPTO just hosted the final round of the National Patent Application Drafting Competition. This hands-on experience helps to shepherd in the next generation of intellectual property attorneys.
We're fostering innovation by reducing the amount of time it takes to evaluate patent applications (pendency) while not sacrificing thorough review. We've created a multiyear plan to reduce pendency and inventory.
On January 18, 2025, Trademark Center will become the only way to apply for a trademark registration. Read about the new system, and join the thousands of customers who are already using Trademark Center.
Patents generate trillions of dollars in annual economic activity. But patents only serve their intended purpose if they're both robust and reliable. This blog post discusses how the USPTO maintains high patent quality.
The America Invents Act of 2011 is fueling innovation. This led to new types of USPTO proceedings to protect inventors and their IP and, rarely, invalidate a challenged patent that lacks novelty or is obvious.
In this blog, we explain about how cooking a delicious Thanksgiving feast is greatly aided by the work of many generations of American inventors. We're introducing do-it-yourself videos with the Cade Museum.
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Learn how the USPTO’s focus on inclusive innovation helps lift up innovators, including the 29% of American adults with disabilities.
Looking back on 25 years, we celebrate a quarter-century of the USPTO’s PACs by asking some key figures to share their accounts on the important impact the PACs have had on their work.
The USPTO has been diligently working since early Friday morning to restore workstation access for employees across our organization affected by the CrowdStrike IT outage. All of our external systems were minimally impacted.
Major Kayley Squire, an Air Force strategic policy fellow and the USPTO’s outgoing senior military advisor, spoke about the role she played in enhancing the agency's military outreach initiative.
In addition to our critical policy work, we at the USPTO have been laser-focused on operations, including, importantly, pendency. I want to provide you with a comprehensive overview of our progress in tackling pendency.
The From Service to Success program is a multifaceted initiative that has rapidly expanded since it was launched in 2022 by Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property (IP) and USPTO Director Kathi Vidal.
Opportunity in the innovation community is for everyone. Only when every inventor and entrepreneur has an equal chance to bring their new ideas and products to the global marketplace does our nation truly thrive.
The new Inventorship Guidance for AI-Assisted Inventions provides instructions to determine whether the human contribution to an innovation is significant enough to qualify for a patent when AI also contributed.
Protecting and enforcing intellectual property (IP) rights in China has been an essential part of our agency efforts to strengthen the global IP system.
As part of our modernization efforts to provide more extensible technology and functionality, the Patent Center system will fully replace EFS-Web and Private PAIR.
Working to strengthen the IP ecosystem through new laws, policies, practices and collaborations also impresses upon our youth, women across the globe, and our military the importance of protecting IP.
When it comes to AI, there is enormous potential for our country and for solving world problems—but there are significant risks as well. To shape the future of AI, we must act quickly, but also thoughtfully.
Although TESS has served us well, its long tenure is ending in November. We now have an opportunity to provide a more stable, modern search experience that can grow and adapt to the needs of the trademark community.
We recently issued an examination guide to clarify steps examining attorneys must take to evaluate the validity of a trademark applicant’s “domicile address” as included in their application. Learn about why it's important.
Director Vidal hosted the leaders of the largest IP offices in the world and then led the USPTO delegation to the 64th Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO. Both gatherings focused on how to support sustainable innovation.
Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo joined Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO Kathi Vidal for a workshop and resource fair for military personnel, spouses, and veterans.
Parikha Mehta has spent the last four months focused on the intersection of intellectual property and climate and environmental technologies while on an employee exchange at NOAA from the U.S Patent and Trademark Office.
We're excited to announce the publication of our 2022-2026 Strategic Plan, shaped by comments from our employees, public advisory committees, IP industry groups, and the public.
Many of America’s outstanding innovators and leaders are veterans. Skills gained from service, including teamwork, integrity, and being organized, disciplined, adaptable, and focused, prepare them well for entrepreneurship.
We've been on a nationwide tour to share information about our Patent Pro Bono Program and other free services for entrepreneurs, so that we can help bring new entrepreneurs and inventors into the innovation ecosystem.
On April 14, law students gathered from around the country in the exciting final round of the National Patent Application Drafting Competition (NPADC) at USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia.
Every year on April 26, we join intellectual property (IP) organizations from across the globe to celebrate World Intellectual Property (IP) Day. This year’s theme is “Women and IP: Accelerating innovation and creativity.”
Artificial intelligence is one of the most powerful technologies of our generation, presenting big opportunities and risks. At the USPTO, we're working on the responsible introduction of AI into our workflow and government.
If 2022 was about listening and gathering the input and data to make meaningful, sustainable change, 2023 is about action. As set forth in our draft 2022-2026 Strategic Plan, the USPTO is advancing five strategic goals.
The USPTO is launching the first-ever Trademarks for Humanity awards competition. The inaugural competition seeks to recognize those who are trying to solve environmental challenges and the importance of their trademarks.
Debbie Stephens, Deputy Chief Information Officer for the USPTO, has served at the agency for more than 30 years in multiple leadership roles. She has worked to improve electronic processing of patent applications.
Are you a teacher looking to equip your students with the confidence to solve real world problems? Attend the USPTO’s National Summer Teacher Institute on Innovation, STEM, and Intellectual Property.
Do you know about the free resources the USPTO offers for inventors and entrepreneurs? From free legal assistance to patent and trademark boot camps, each of our programs provides one-on-one assistance.
Learn how the inventors on Baker’s List have been changing the world for generations as creators, disruptors, and trailblazers in their respective industries, and how Black excellence in invention continues today.
EquIP HQ is the USPTO’s newest invention education resource. The online platform, created by and for the USPTO, provides free tools to teach students real-world invention and intellectual property (IP) skills.
This blog post is part of a series showcasing the diverse African American leaders from across the U.S. Department of Commerce in honor of Black History Month.
In early January, Deputy Director Derrick Brent attended CES for the first time ever. As a fan of gadgets, technology, and innovation, the experience was amazing. It was a chance to see today and a chance to see tomorrow.
To recognize top innovators, we are currently accepting nominations for the National Medal of Technology and Innovation (NMTI), our nation's highest honor for technological achievement.
The USPTO’s Trademark Public Advisory Committee's (TPAC) role is to provide input to the Director of the USPTO on the management, policy, goals, performance, budget, and user fees related to trademark operations.
The USPTO has been working feverishly to unleash America’s potential. Since April 2022, we expanded our pro bono efforts, focused on outreach and impact, and are working on ways to better support those new to innovation.
The USPTO is moving to DOCX, which will provide quick feedback to applicants to correct applications before they hit the examiner’s desk and allow communication between different countries' intellectual property systems.
It’s a privilege to announce the five winners of our Patents for Humanity: COVID-19 category competition. We recognize them for responding rapidly to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic with game-changing technologies.
Read about efforts to increase Native American representation in STEM. DOC agencies, including the USPTO, also offer resources to support all innovators, including those in underrepresented communities like Native Americans.
The future of our country hinges on our youth. To help them succeed, we provide high school, college, and law students with unique opportunities to leverage their innate skills while building new ones for continued growth.
Over two years ago, the USPTO introduced the Legal Experience and Advancement Program (LEAP) to provide the next generation of patent practitioners with hands-on experience before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).
This month, the U.S. Department of Commerce is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month and Hispanic communities. Here are three stories of Hispanic entrepreneurs and innovators that help fulfill the promise of America for all.
Join the (USPTO's free, online 2022 Hispanic Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program on Wednesday, October 12 from 1-4 p.m. ET, where successful Hispanic innovators will discuss their creative and business journeys.
Technical standards have brought many benefits to society, from the phones in our pockets to the computer networks that support our communications with colleagues and family.
As America’s Innovation Agency, the USPTO is working to change the narrative around purchasing counterfeit products and informing consumers about the dangers and consequences of purchasing counterfeit goods.
The Biden Administration is strengthening international engagement and economic growth by working in partnership with other countries to enhance resilience, sustainability, inclusiveness, fairness, and competitiveness.
We are working to improve our processes, technology, and training. Each and every one of us is committed to providing the best service possible for all innovators and entrepreneurs, from pro se to experienced.
As part of our ongoing effort to modernize and streamline our systems, we unveiled an all new Patent Public Search (PPUBS) tool. PPUBS is a free online search tool for all U.S. published patent applications and patent grants.
The important contributions developed by the U.S. pharmaceutical industry, such as nearly eradicating diseases like smallpox, polio, measles, and meningitis, have been made possible because of our strong patent protection.
To unlock the potential of every American and promote economic prosperity, we must not only protect innovation, we must tap into communities traditionally underrepresented in the innovation ecosystem.
Stakeholders generally agree that the law on patent eligibility needs to be clear, predictable, and consistently applied. This will allow innovators to attract investment and collaborations to bring more innovation to impact.
In December 1836, a catastrophic fire at the United States Patent Office destroyed records of American innovation kept since the earliest days of the Republic. We call patents from this era (1790-1836) “X-patents.”
On August 1, we will replace the Public Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) tool with Patent Center, a new, unified system with a user-friendly interface for electronically filing and managing patent applications.
President Biden is helping Americans protect and preserve their health and live with the dignity of knowing that they can care for themselves and their loved ones.
Starting August 6, 2022, the USPTO is taking the important and necessary step of requiring all trademark filers to verify their identities as a condition for filing electronic trademark forms.
This month, the U.S. Department of Commerce is celebrating the LGBTQ+ community and paying tribute to the many LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and innovators who help fulfill the promise of America for all.
The National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum is now open to the public! Located at USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, there's something for everyone inside the walls of this tribute to American innovation.
The USPTO is pleased to announce that we are now accepting applications from qualified inventors for free legal assistance in ex parte appeal proceedings through the PTAB Pro Bono Program.
To build on our efforts to engage with stakeholders on artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies (ET), we are forming a partnership with the AI and ET communities, bringing them together to share their insights.
Through programs like the Climate Change Mitigation Pilot Program, we're working to incentivize and expedite clean energy technologies that will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change.
The U.S. Department of Commerce celebrated Americans from Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities. Here are three stories of inspiring AANHPI entrepreneurs and innovators.
USPTO hosts InventionCon, Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program, and Proud Innovation events for aspiring or established innovators.
To address concerns that the new DOCX format might result in conversion discrepancies, through December 31, 2022, applicants may upload a backup PDF version of their application with their DOCX version for no extra cost.
The USPTO released a summary of comments received on whether the USPTO’s interpretation of the “article of manufacture” requirement for design patents should be reevaluated.
In honor of Women’s History Month, read inspiring stories of notable women innovators who have made lasting contributions to our nation’s history, economy, and way of life.
Because the cost of obtaining IP protections should not hinder individual inventors and small businesses, we offer small and micro entities reductions on most patent application fees.
