For those entering the US national phase on and after September 16, 2014 … recall the “check the box” problem

We all recall the nightmare of having to figure out whether or not to “check the box”.  You know the box that I am talking about:

ctb

Well, a nice member of our PCT listserv pointed out today that September 16, 2014 is an interesting day for the “check the box” problem.  I wonder how many readers of this blog already know why this is?

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Dontcha just hate “see attached letter”?

There are a lot of annoying things about an email that says “see attached letter”.  I’ll basically just be ranting in this posting.  Feel free to skip it.

I should emphasize first that if somebody is paying my firm to do work, I will cheerfully receive any and all “attached letters” that they wish to send.  The non-US patent firm that has sent me dozens of patent applications to be filed in the US can send any email in whatever way they want to sent it.

What I am talking about is the non-US intellectual property firms, and the service providers (annuity services for example) that are receiving money from my firm.  These are the people I am complaining about when I say I am annoyed by an email that says “see attached letter”.

Why am I annoyed by this?

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Thinking about calling a US patent application a continuation-in-part

From time to time I encounter a client or foreign colleague that asks whether some soon-to-be-filed US patent application ought to be termed a CIP (continuation-in-part) of a previous patent application by the same applicant.  The way I look at it, this used to be a good idea but nowadays is rarely if ever a good idea.  I hope that folks will post comments with their thoughts about this.

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Make plans to attend “PCT at the EPO”

As a reminder, the European Patent Office will present “PCT at the EPO”, a two-day educational program.  This will be Wednesday and Thepoursday, October 1 and 2 at the EPO office at the Hague.  One session is “National Phase at the USPTO”.  The speakers for that session will be Michael Neas of the USPTO and myself.

This is a unique educational program with a faculty composed of patent office presenters and private practitioners.

The first day of the event will conclude with a panel discussion on key developments in the PCT (I am one of the panel members), followed by a cocktail reception and a networking dinner.

To find out more about this two-day program, or to register, click here.