It will be recalled (see my blog article of December 14, 2017) that most USPTO patent fees will increase, some substantially, on Tuesday, January 16, 2018. This presents an opportunity to save money. If there is some fee that you were considering paying on or after January 16, maybe you should pay it earlier, for example on Monday, January 15.
Why have you not registered for this CLE webinar?
Tuesday, January 9 there will be a webinar about sequence listings. The webinar is free of charge. This webinar will be presented by two experienced practitioners, Suzannah K. Sundby and Carl Oppedahl.
As of right now, the number of people who have signed up for this webinar is less than the number of people in the world. This might mean that you have not signed up for this webinar. Which then raises the question:
Why have you not signed up for this webinar?
For more information, or to register for this free webinar about sequence listings, click here.
If you know someone who might want to attend this free webinar about sequence listings, you will probably be doing them a favor if you pass this information on to them.
Webinar on sequence listings and patent applications
If your patent application contains nucleotide or amino acid sequences, to comply with US and PCT rules you need to provide the sequences to the patent office as computer-readable sequence listings. This webinar, which is CLE accredited and is free of charge, explains how to prepare and e-file such sequence listings.
Abstract is required to “commence on a separate sheet”? No!
From time to time an Examiner in the USPTO recites this objection:
The abstract of the disclosure does not commence on a separate sheet in accordance with 37 CFR §§ 1.52(b)(4) and 1.72(b). A new abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text.
An Examiner made such an objection a couple of days ago in one of our cases. We will be able to force the Examiner to withdraw the objection. Continue reading “Abstract is required to “commence on a separate sheet”? No!”
Most USPTO patent fees will increase January 16
Most USPTO patent fees will increase, some rather substantially, on January 16, 2018. You can see the Federal Register notice here. Here are some examples of fee increases that will take effect on that day: Continue reading “Most USPTO patent fees will increase January 16”
ISA/RU search fee for US filers increases today
It will be recalled (see blog post of November 3, 2017) that the search fee to be paid by a US filer selecting ISA/RU was scheduled for a fee increase today, December 6, 2017.
The fee increase, from $482 to $698, has indeed taken place.
You do not need to worry about accidentally paying the incorrect fee amount, because EFS-Web and ePCT have both been updated to reflect this new fee amount.
As of today the various searching authorities available to those who file in RO/US, ranked by the amount of the search fee, are:
- EP – $2238
- US – $2080
- AU – $1688
- SG – $1552
- JP – $1372
- KR – $1114
- US – $1040 (small entity)
- IL – $963
- RU – $698
- US – $520 (micro entity)
There are many factors in addition to price which a filer might wish to take into account when selecting an International Searching Authority.
ePCT webinar Tuesday
This coming Tuesday is the third of a four-part series of webinars about ePCT.
Part 3. Follow-on filings.
- Best Practice for doing a 92bis change as an Action.
- Best Practice for doing an Article 19 Amendment as an Action.
- Best Practice for filing a Demand.
For more information or to register, click here.
A chance to save a little money on PCT search fees
Readers will recall (perhaps from my blog post of October 13) that the search fee for ISA/EP will increase (for US filers) on December 1, 2017. This offers an opportunity to save a little money. If your client is planning to file a PCT application in the next week or two, and is planning to pick ISA/EP, consider filing it on November 30 rather than December 1. This will save $139 in search fees.
Imminent opportunities to learn about ePCT
The first of four webinars about ePCT will take place starting in about eight hours. Here are the dates and topics: Continue reading “Imminent opportunities to learn about ePCT”
Webinars to learn about ePCT
Those who handle pending US patent applications are well aware that it is impossible to carry out one’s work competently without knowing how to use Private PAIR to view pending US patent applications and to check the status of such applications. Likewise one needs to know how to use EFS-Web to file new patent applications and to file follow-on papers.
ePCT is the mechanism for viewing pending PCT applications and for checking the status of such applications. ePCT is an important part of the filing of new PCT patent applications and is a crucial part of the filing of follow-on papers in PCT applications.
It is thus extremely important to learn how to use ePCT. ePCT is extraordinarily feature rich. Here are four webinars which together will explore the 20% or so of the ePCT features which you will use 80% of the time. Continue reading “Webinars to learn about ePCT”