It will be recalled that on September 1, 2017 the search fee paid by US filers of PCT applications for the EPO searching authority increased from $1992 to $2099. Now it has been announced that on December 1, 2017 this fee will increase again, this time to $2238. Continue reading “Search fee for ISA/EP to increase on December 1”
E-filing docx files at the USPTO
If you want to be trendy, modern, and up-to-date, you can now e-file “docx” files at the USPTO. If you do this, not only will you be trendy, modern, and up-to-date, but you will also likely encounter fewer instances in the future in which you need to request a Certificate of Correction or a corrected publication. Read on to learn how to be trendy, modern, and up-to-date. Continue reading “E-filing docx files at the USPTO”
Gaining incontestability economically
The majority of US trademark registrations lack “incontestable” status, because the owner of the registration has not filed “Section 15” papers at the USPTO. (I have blogged here about what “incontestable” status means and why a trademark owner might want to gain “incontestable” status.) In this article I will talk about ways to gain “incontestable” status economically.
Dulles’s C and D concourse
If, like me, you often fly United Airlines to and from Washington, DC, then you have, like me, spent time in the C and D concourse of Dulles Airport. And you have some sense how decrepit and discouraging that concourse is. The main terminal was designed in 1958 by famed Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen, and it is highly regarded for its graceful beauty, suggestive of flight. But passengers spend little time in the main terminal. For United passengers, most time is spent in the C-D concourse. Continue reading “Dulles’s C and D concourse”
Seeking comments on authenticator apps
I imagine some readers of this blog use an authentication app as part of a two-factor authentication process for various services. For a long time I have been using Google Authenticator (right) with some systems. I’d like to ask readers to please post a comment below if you use an authentication app, mentioning some of the services that you use it with. Continue reading “Seeking comments on authenticator apps”
Indonesia joins Madrid Protocol
On October 2, 2017, Indonesia deposited its instrument of accession to the Madrid Protocol at the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization. The Madrid Protocol will thus enter into force for Indonesia on January 2, 2018.
This brings to 100 the number of members of the Madrid system. Continue reading “Indonesia joins Madrid Protocol”
What’s so great about ePCT?
A member of the PCT listserv asks:
Am I missing something about what is so great about preparing an PCT application package via ePCT?
For most all of my PCT applications, I have to file with the RO/US and elect the ISA/US. Thus, in such a situation, I understand that the only thing ePCT is good for is to prepare the Zip file as one has to use EFS-Web to file the Zip file, the application papers, and pay the fees.
To me, the ePCT interface is cumbersome, more so than the PCT-Safe software.
So, I don’t understand what is so great about ePCT… Can someone enlighten me?
My comments are below. Continue reading “What’s so great about ePCT?”
Today is the day that PDX changes for Japan
It will be recalled that recently the USPTO announced that it will change the way that electronic certified copies of priority documents are transmitted between the USPTO and the Japanese Patent Office. The change takes effect today. Among other things, this will affect how you complete your Application Data Sheet to present a priority claim to a Japanese patent application.
You can read about it in my blog post from September 24, 2017.
Getting a faxed Foreign Filing License from the USPTO
(Note that this article was posted in 2017. The reader should bring himself or herself up to date before proceeding. For example the MPEP now adds a different and supposedly “preferred” fax number. And the amount of the government fee has changed.)
Many readers doubtless already know how to get a faxed Foreign Filing License from the USPTO. But a recent posting on the EFS-Web listserv prompts me to post this article describing the Best Practice for such a request. Continue reading “Getting a faxed Foreign Filing License from the USPTO”
How long it takes USPTO to issue a patent
For the past year or so, it has been taking the USPTO around 4-5 weeks to issue a patent. Continue reading “How long it takes USPTO to issue a patent”