Four upcoming opportunities for PCT and ePCT training

As a reminder, folks, there are four upcoming opportunities for PCT and ePCT training, all of which will include me as a presenter.

    • National Docketing Association annual meeting, San Diego (brochure page):
      • Monday, October 6, 3:15 PM PT – Making Best Use of ePCT for PCT Docketing (75 minutes)
      • Tuesday, October 7, 1PM PT – Mastering PCT Docketing (60 minutes)
    • Friday, October 24, Dallas Patent Office (brochure page) – Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) and ePCT seminar (full day)
    • Tuesday, October 28, Detroit Patent Office (brochure page) – Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) and ePCT seminar (full day)

Reduction In Force at the USPTO

An article just now in The Guardian says:

In a memo seen by the Guardian, the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced a “reduction in force” (RIF) program of layoffs at the agency on Wednesday, the first reported agency to do so.

“Approximately one percent of the USPTO workforce will be affected by this RIF,” wrote Valencia Martin Wallace, acting commissioner for the USPTO, wrote to employees at the agency. The USPTO did not respond to a request for comment

LG Broke the Sound on My TV

LG WebOS logo
click to enlarge

(Update:  a commenter suggested that “broke the sound” is more accurate than “bricked” or “regressed” and I agree.  See end note below.)

In 2022 I purchased the most expensive television in my life — a 77-inch OLED TV made by LG.  Recently LG pushed a firmware update to the television.  It effectively bricked the TV, and LG won’t fix it.  Continue reading “LG Broke the Sound on My TV”

USPTO blinks on shutdown of familiar assignment searches

August 27, 2025 announcement
click to enlarge

On August 27, 2025, the USPTO said (quoted at right) that Saturday, September 27, 2025 was the day that the USPTO would shut down the two familiar assignment search systems, forcing users over to a new assignment search function in Assignment Center.

It appears the USPTO has blinked and will postpone this shutdown for about three weeks, until Monday, October 20, 2025.  Continue reading “USPTO blinks on shutdown of familiar assignment searches”

A decision that might help with 101 problems

(A commenter pointed out a mistake in this article — the applicant apparently did not appeal to the ARP.  What apparently really happened is that the ARP, sua sponte, chose to take action.  I fixed it.  Thanks to the commenter.)

Today the USPTO published a decision called Ex parte Desjardins et alia, 2024-000567 (Appeals Review Panel, September 26, 2025). a copy of which may be seen here.  It looks like this decision may be of some help to applicants facing 101 rejections.  Continue reading “A decision that might help with 101 problems”