Bluesky: @oppedahl.com
It will be recalled (see my blog post of February 2, 2018) that the search fee for ISA/KR will increase by about 7% for filers in RO/US. The increase will happen on April 1, 2018.
This offers an opportunity to save some money on PCT filing fees. A US filer who is considering filing a PCT application (and who plans to pick ISA/KR) on or after April 1 might want to consider filing it on or before March 31. This would permit the filer to pay the cheaper search fee.
It’s only a few years ago that I started paying attention to the prospect of a client obtaining a utility model instead of an ordinary utility patent. Until recently I knew of only a small number of Offices where utility models are available. But recently I happened upon a resource on the web site of WIPO that lists no fewer than fifty-nine Offices in which a utility model may be obtained. Continue reading “What are the places where your client can get utility models?”
USPTO used to “peg” its patent examination backlog at 108 months (nine years). Then in about 2014 (see blog article) the USPTO changed the “peg” to 60 months (five years). Now in 2018 the USPTO has changed the “peg” to 30 months (two and a half years).
Continue reading “Identifying “pegged” art units at the USPTO”
Will you be in Seattle on May 21, 2018? Maybe for the annual meeting of the International Trademark Association (INTA)?
The reception will be Monday, May 21, 2018 from 6PM to 8PM. Click here to RSVP.
Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, 600 Pine Street – suite 401, Seattle, WA 98101.
See also Meet the Bloggers XIV will will take place the next day.
Will you be in Seattle on May 22, 2018? Maybe for the annual meeting of the International Trademark Association (INTA)? Then please attend the fourteen annual Meet the Bloggers. Be there or be square!
MTB XIV will be Tuesday, May 22, 2018 from 8PM to 10PM at Garage Billiards, 1130 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122. Read about it here and on the TTABlog and on the iPelton Blog.
See also the e-Trademarks listserv reception which will take place the previous day.
When you are filing a Madrid Protocol application, it is possible to check the “GB” box in addition to checking the “EM” box. With Brexit in progress, should you be checking both boxes? A March 14 tentative agreement (link) between EU and UK makes it perhaps less urgent to check both boxes in the near term, as I will discuss.
On June 13, 2018 it will commence being possible to check the “GB” box in addition to checking the “EM” box when you file a design application in the Hague system. Should you actually do so? Continue reading “Starting June 13, should you check the “GB” box in your Hague application in addition to the “EM” box?”
When the UK chose the path of Brexit, I blogged this:
The UK does not belong to Hague. It will be particularly helpful if the UK were to join Hague right away.
That was in June of 2016. I had blogged here (October 2017) and here (December 2017) that this development was imminent. Now indeed the UK has joined the Hague Agreement (WIPO press release here).
I am delighted to report a favorable experience today with a DO/EO/US person. By this I mean a USPTO person handling entry into the US national phase from a PCT patent application. Continue reading “A DO/EO/US person is responsive!”
(Update: see the comment below. The event is now sold out.)
Every year, the USPTO Design Day sells out. This year will be no exception. As of right now, only two openings are left.
To find out more, or to register, click here.