Category: Industrial Designs

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Mexico joins Hague Agreement

Alert reader and experienced design practitioner Richard Stockton tipped me off that today, the Government of Mexico deposited its instrument of accession to the Hague Agreement.  This brings the number of members of the Hague system to 74.  

This accession has been among the most anticipated of Hague accessions in recent years.  I blogged about the imminent accession here (October 21, 2017) and here (December 11, 2017) and here (July 19, 2018) and here (October 2, 2018) and here (October 20, 2018) and here (November 5, 2018).  You can see the WIPO press release here.

Mexico joined the Patent Cooperation Treaty on January 1, 1995 and joined the Madrid Protocol on February 19, 2013.  Thus, with today’s accession Mexico achieves the trifecta of membership in all three international e-filing systems (patents, trademarks, and designs).  The Hague Agreement will enter into force in Mexico on June 6, 2020.

This means that from June 6, 2020, applicants in Mexico will be able to use the Hague system to protect their industrial designs.  Likewise applicants in many dozens of countries around the world will from that date be able to use the Hague system to protect their designs in Mexico.  

Now that Mexico has joined, perhaps the most eagerly awaited accession is that of China.

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Register now for Design Day 2020

(The USPTO 2020 Design Day has been canceled.  See blog article.)

It will be recalled that I told you to save the date for Design Day 2020 which will take place on Thursday, April 23.  The in-person event will be at the main auditorium at 600 Dulany Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.  Yes there will also be the opportunity to watch the event remotely at the satellite patent offices.

Hopefully you did indeed save the date.

Now the exciting news is that registration is now open for Design Day 2020.  To register, click here.  

This event always sells out.  If you snooze, you lose.  I suggest that if you are planning to attend, it would be wise not to dawdle in registering.

 

 

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Please print from SCORE

click to enlarge

(Corrected to say “Hague Agreement” and “2013” everywhere that I wrongly wrote “Madrid Protocol” and “2003”.  Thank you to alert reader Bill Eshelman!)

A recent Notice of Allowability received in our office contained the phrase “Please print from SCORE” which is highlighted at right.  I was glad to see it and I was particularly glad to see that the Examiner had added this phrase even without my having to ask for it.  What exactly does this phrase mean, and why am I so happy to see it? Continue reading “Please print from SCORE”

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The 2019 Toteboards are published

It is my honor to post the 2019 Toteboards.  These are:

These Tote Boards rank the top patent and trademark firms for carrying out filings in 2019 in these categories.  The 2019 Toteboards join the previous fifteen Toteboards which go back as far as 2012.

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Today is the last day to get your numbers in for the Tote Boards

On January 1, 2020 I invited everyone (blog post) to get your numbers in for the 2019 Tote Boards.  This includes:

  • the Eighth Annual US Design Patent Top Filers Tote Board
  • the Fifth Annual US Trademark Registration Top Filers Tote Board
  • the Fifth Annual US Utility Patent Top Filers Tote Board
  • the Third Annual US Plant Patent Top Filers Tote Board

These Tote Boards will rank the top patent and trademark firms for carrying out filings in 2019 in these categories.  The 2019 Tote Boards will join the previous fifteen Tote Boards which go back as far as 2012.

Today, January 31, is the last day to get your numbers in.

How many responses do we have so far?

  • As for the 2019 Trademark Tote Board, we have more than seventy firms responding, that have between them obtained more than eight thousand trademark registrations in 2019
  • As for the 2019 Utility Patent Tote Board, we have more than sixty firms responding, that have between them obtained more than forty thousand utility patents in 2019
  • As for the 2019 Design Patent Tote Board, we have more than sixty firms responding, that have between them obtained more than seven thousand design patents in 2019

Every year, some firm misses out by failing to get its numbers in by the closing date.  Don’t be that firm!  Get your numbers in before closing day which is today, January 31.  Click here for the:

  • response form for the 2019 (eighth annual) US design patent top filers tote board
  • response form for the 2019 (fifth annual) US trademark registration top filers tote board
  • response form for the 2019 (fifth annual) US utility patent top filers tote board
  • response form for the 2019 (third annual) US plant patent top filers tote board

 

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Getting your numbers in for the Tote Boards

On January 1, 2020 I invited everyone (blog post) to get your numbers in for the 2019 Tote Boards.  This includes:

  • the Eighth Annual US Design Patent Top Filers Tote Board
  • the Fifth Annual US Trademark Registration Top Filers Tote Board
  • the Fifth Annual US Utility Patent Top Filers Tote Board
  • the Third Annual US Plant Patent Top Filers Tote Board

These Tote Boards will rank the top patent and trademark firms for carrying out filings in 2019 in these categories.  The 2019 Tote Boards will join the previous fifteen Tote Boards which go back as far as 2012.

The closing date for getting in your numbers will be Friday, January 31, 2020.

How many responses do we have so far?

  • As for the 2019 Trademark Tote Board, we have more than forty-six firms responding, that have between them obtained more than eight thousand trademark registrations in 2019
  • As for the 2019 Utility Patent Tote Board, we have more than forty firms responding, that have between them obtained more than eleven thousand utility patents in 2019
  • As for the 2019 Design Patent Tote Board, we have more than forty-three firms responding, that have between them obtained more than three thousand design patents in 2019

Every year, some firm misses out by failing to get its numbers in by the closing date.  Don’t be that firm!  Get your numbers in before closing day which is January 31.  Click here for the:

  • response form for the 2019 (eighth annual) US design patent top filers tote board
  • response form for the 2019 (fifth annual) US trademark registration top filers tote board
  • response form for the 2019 (fifth annual) US utility patent top filers tote board
  • response form for the 2019 (third annual) US plant patent top filers tote board
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Norway is now as trendy, modern and up-to-date as Australia

I had previously identified IP Australia as the Office that was the most trendy, modern and up-to-date so far as DAS participation is concerned.  Of the 25 Offices participating in DAS, IP Australia stood alone as the only Office participating in every way that it is possible to participate.

But now a second Office has joined this high status.  The Norwegian Industrial Property Office now stands as a second Office that participates in DAS in every way that it is possible to participate. Continue reading “Norway is now as trendy, modern and up-to-date as Australia”

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Eventually every patent and trademark firm will have a TransferWise account

click to go to TransferWise web site

(Update:  TransferWise has changed its name to Wise Business.)

I have a prediction to make.  My prediction is that within a year or two, every patent and trademark firm around the world that has a substantial international practice will have a TransferWise account.  What prompts me to predict this? Continue reading “Eventually every patent and trademark firm will have a TransferWise account”

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More on Japan as a Depositing Office in DAS for designs

Japan Patent OfficeIt will be recalled (blog article, January 1) that I reported that on January 1, 2020 the Japanese Patent Office became a Depositing Office in DAS for designs.

It’s all fine and good to hear this report, but is there a way that a practitioner could independently confirm that that it really did happen?  Is there a way that a practitioner could independently confirm that the JPO did indeed become a Depositing Office in DAS for designs?

The answer is that yes the practitioner can independently confirm this, as I will explain. Continue reading “More on Japan as a Depositing Office in DAS for designs”