Archive for March, 2004
Explanation of inactivity
I have recently moved my practice from Chicago to my hometown of Toledo, OH. In the last two weeks, I have been moving my family as a result of this relocation. Buying and selling homes. Always fun.
Acitivity on Promote the Progress will pick up in the next week or so.
A lesson for the press - basic reexamination procedure
The reexamination of the Eolas patent (of Microsoft/Eolas fame) has received much attention lately in the popular press. According to headlines last week, the patent office has invalidated the patent.
The patent has not yet been finally invalidated.
In a reexamination proceeding, the Director first determines if art cited to the office (likely done by Microsoft, [...]
Brief article on the cost of pharmaceutical patents
This article gives a very breif statement of the general economic issues surrounding patents on pharmaceutical products.
Article on Technology Transfer
R&D Magazine has a nice article entitled “The 10 Rules of Technology Transfer.” The article is a nice, quick read, and will be of interest to anyone involved in the transfer of intellectual property from one organization to another.
Links of interest regarding the United States Patent and Trademark Fee Modernization Act (H.R. 1561)
Before this week’s vote on the bill, Jay Inslee (D-WA) sent a letter to Members of Congress urging them to support H.R. 1561. The letter is a nice summary of the issue of PTO fee diversion.
Also, the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) has issued a news release in support of the recent passage of H.R. [...]
How did your Representative vote on H.R. 1561?
The roll call for the House vote on H.R. 1561 is here.
I know I’m calling my Rep…
Summary of key provisions of H.R. 1561
Yesterday, the House passed H.R. 1561, The United States Patent and Trademark Fee Modernization Act of 2004. The bill now moves to the Senate where it may change form and substance.
The version passed by the House includes the following key provisions:
1. Patent fees
Generally, they are increasing. This AP article has estimates of [...]
House passes USPTO funding bill (H.R. 1561)
Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed the USPTO funding bill (H.R. 1561, “The United States Patent and Trademark Fee Modernization Act of 2004″).
For a summary of the bill, inlcuding the text as passed by the House, click here.
Federal Circuit now has electronic access through PACER
The only court in the land that is dedicated to patent law has finally gone high tech. As of March 1, 2004, you can now electronically access Federal Circuit case information via the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system.
Read the announcement here.
For more information on the PACER system generally, click here.
House to take up USPTO Fee Bill (H.R. 1561) tomorrow
House Majority Leader Tom DeLay has stated that the House plans to take up the current USPTO fee bill tomorrow (wednesday, March 3, 2004).
This bill has attracted significant attention because it will purportedly end the diversion of USPTO user fees to unrelated government programs.
Review the summary of H.R. 1561.
