On June 13, 2018 it will commence being possible to check the “GB” box in addition to checking the “EM” box when you file a design application in the Hague system. Should you actually do so? Continue reading “Starting June 13, should you check the “GB” box in your Hague application in addition to the “EM” box?”
United Kingdom joins Hague Agreement!
When the UK chose the path of Brexit, I blogged this:
The UK does not belong to Hague. It will be particularly helpful if the UK were to join Hague right away.
That was in June of 2016. I had blogged here (October 2017) and here (December 2017) that this development was imminent. Now indeed the UK has joined the Hague Agreement (WIPO press release here).
A DO/EO/US person is responsive!
I am delighted to report a favorable experience today with a DO/EO/US person. By this I mean a USPTO person handling entry into the US national phase from a PCT patent application. Continue reading “A DO/EO/US person is responsive!”
Two openings remaining for Design Day
(Update: see the comment below. The event is now sold out.)
Every year, the USPTO Design Day sells out. This year will be no exception. As of right now, only two openings are left.
To find out more, or to register, click here.
2017 US Toteboards Published
The 2017 US Toteboards have been published. These toteboards have the goal of listing the firms that obtained US design patents, US trademark registrations, and US utility patents for clients. You can see:
A design decision from Europe
A few days ago the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) rendered an opinion in the case of Doceram v. CeramTec. This is an industrial designs case exploring how you may know the scope of protection for an article as a function of the extent to which the appearance of the article is solely dictated by its technical function. Continue reading “A design decision from Europe”
Get your numbers in for the 2017 USPTO Plant Patent tote board
The goal of this toteboard is to list the firms that helped clients to obtain US plant patents in 2017. It will rank the firms according to the number of US plant patents obtained. Respondents are asked to report only US plant patents for which the firm is listed on the front page of the granted patent. Please respond by Thursday, March 22, 2018.
You can see the previous Toteboards here.
To send in your numbers for the 2017 US Plant Patent tote board, click here.
Register now for USPTO Design Day 2018
Registration is now open for USPTO Design Day 2018.
Design Day 2018 will take place Wednesday, April 25 in the Madison auditorium at 600 Dulany Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314.
This event always sells out. So if you are planning to attend, don’t delay. Register now. Continue reading “Register now for USPTO Design Day 2018”
USPTO is closed today – not?
See the Office of Personnel Management announcement which says:
FEDERAL OFFICES in the Washington, DC area are CLOSED. Emergency and telework-ready employees required to work must follow their agency’s policies, including written telework agreements.
I wrote:
The USPTO is closed today, Friday, March 2, 2018.
Normally at this time of year such a closure would be due to a dusting of snow. But the reason for the closure is “high wind”.
Oh, and at the risk of stating the obvious, this means that any response or action that would have been due today will be timely if filed by this coming Monday, March 5, 2018.
But people are telling me they think the USPTO is actually open today. If this is true, then maybe the resetting of response dates to Monday won’t happen after all.
I will investigate further.