Remember that the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, sitting en banc, is scheduled to hear oral argument in Cardiac Pacemakers v. St. Jude Medical next Monday (June 1st). The en banc appeal is limited to the following question:

In a hearing yesterday before the Joint Economic Committee, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke answered questions about the economic outlook of the United States. Somewhat suprisingly, Chairman Bernanke mentioned patent reform, with measured indifference, in response to a question from Congressman Cummings about policy initiatives designed to “encourage innovation.”

Google made a big splash in the patent world last week. On Tuesday, the company was awarded a broad patent for a water-based data center that, ironically, highlights the narrow focus of the company’s call for action against dubious patents and infringement claims.

Picking a candidate for the Under Secretary for IP/Director of the Patent and Trademark Office in this time of turmoil seems an impossible task. There is no shortage of candidates with academic and professional qualifications that are beyond question. But, at this critical time, the Office and the patent community desperately need a Director that brings more than merely the right resume.