Comments on: Obama continues search for Commerce Secretary, while PTO continues search for radical administrative reform http://promotetheprogress.com/obama-continues-search-for-commerce-secretary-while-pto-continues-search-for-radical-administrative-reform/1065/ Informed and insightful analysis of patent law issues Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:32:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: PTO Considering Significant Increase in RCE Fee « Inventive Step http://promotetheprogress.com/obama-continues-search-for-commerce-secretary-while-pto-continues-search-for-radical-administrative-reform/1065/comment-page-1/#comment-601 PTO Considering Significant Increase in RCE Fee « Inventive Step Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:03:20 +0000 http://promotetheprogress.com/blog/?p=1065#comment-601 [...] Significant Increase in RCE Fee Stephen Nipper of The Invent Blog® and Matt Buchanan of Promote the Progress® are reporting that the PTO is considering another administrative rule change that should be highly [...] [...] Significant Increase in RCE Fee Stephen Nipper of The Invent Blog® and Matt Buchanan of Promote the Progress® are reporting that the PTO is considering another administrative rule change that should be highly [...]

]]> By: Jackie Hutter http://promotetheprogress.com/obama-continues-search-for-commerce-secretary-while-pto-continues-search-for-radical-administrative-reform/1065/comment-page-1/#comment-594 Jackie Hutter Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:11:50 +0000 http://promotetheprogress.com/blog/?p=1065#comment-594 I am thrilled that they are looking to make significant changes, but an increase in fees and deferred examination does not seem to be "radical administrative reform." Rather these are just fixes directed to making the broken system work better. Real reform (which shouldn't even be considered "radical" in these extraordinary times) would comprise total reformulation of the PTO administrative system, revamping of the way in which we patent types interact with the Office and modification to the expectations of both large and small patentees. Unfortunately, there are likely too many interests to be assuaged for this to happen with the US patent system, and we will no doubt continue to be stuck with "radical" solutions to fix the broken system like the currently proposed fee increases and deferred examination. We can always hold out hope that the new administration will be able to acquire leadership for the Commerce Department and the PTO who can really effect change. My prediction: like Welfare reform didn't happen until the 2d part of the Clinton era, true reform will not come to the patent system until later in the Obama era. (You may recall that Welfare was thought to be an intractable problem wholly impossible to change. It changed, but it took several years of legislative effort in order to make it happen.) I am thrilled that they are looking to make significant changes, but an increase in fees and deferred examination does not seem to be “radical administrative reform.” Rather these are just fixes directed to making the broken system work better. Real reform (which shouldn’t even be considered “radical” in these extraordinary times) would comprise total reformulation of the PTO administrative system, revamping of the way in which we patent types interact with the Office and modification to the expectations of both large and small patentees. Unfortunately, there are likely too many interests to be assuaged for this to happen with the US patent system, and we will no doubt continue to be stuck with “radical” solutions to fix the broken system like the currently proposed fee increases and deferred examination.

We can always hold out hope that the new administration will be able to acquire leadership for the Commerce Department and the PTO who can really effect change.

My prediction: like Welfare reform didn’t happen until the 2d part of the Clinton era, true reform will not come to the patent system until later in the Obama era. (You may recall that Welfare was thought to be an intractable problem wholly impossible to change. It changed, but it took several years of legislative effort in order to make it happen.)

]]> By: RCE Fees to get “Jacked”? | The Invent Blog® http://promotetheprogress.com/obama-continues-search-for-commerce-secretary-while-pto-continues-search-for-radical-administrative-reform/1065/comment-page-1/#comment-589 RCE Fees to get “Jacked”? | The Invent Blog® Fri, 13 Feb 2009 19:41:24 +0000 http://promotetheprogress.com/blog/?p=1065#comment-589 [...] see that Matt Buchanan has a post mentioning rumors too:  Promote the Progress on  Obama continues search for Commerce Secretary, while PTO continues search for radical administrative... No TweetBacks yet. (Be the first to Tweet this [...] [...] see that Matt Buchanan has a post mentioning rumors too:  Promote the Progress on  Obama continues search for Commerce Secretary, while PTO continues search for radical administrative… No TweetBacks yet. (Be the first to Tweet this [...]

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