USPTO Director Among Managing Intellectual Property Magazine’s “Top 50”

Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO Jon Dudas has been named among the “Top 50 Most Influential People in IP” by Managing Intellectual Property magazine. The list is compiled annually, and the 2008 list includes government officials, legislators, judges, industry leaders and others who helped shape intellectual property policy during the previous year.

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USPTO Extends and Expands Peer Review Pilot
Initiative to test impact of public input on improving patent quality opens to automated business data processing technologies (business methods)

The USPTO announced it will extend the duration, increase the maximum number of applications, and expand the scope of applications eligible to participate in the Peer Review Pilot. The pilot, launched in June 2007, encourages the public to review volunteered published patent applications and submit technical references and comments on what they believe to be the best prior art to consider during the examination. The expansion and extension of the pilot is effective July 16, 2008.

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Independent Inventors Conference Set for August 8-9

Registration Now Open

The 13th annual Independent Inventors Conference will be held on the campus of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in Alexandria, Virginia August 8-9. A pre-conference workshop, for anyone interested in learning about the basics of patents and the importance of intellectual property protection, will be held on August 7 from 5 to 7 p.m. The workshop is for beginners and is a good foundation for the conference It is included in the $100 registration fee.

Top officials of the USPTO, including  Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce Margaret Peterlin and Commissioner for Patents John Doll will be presenters at the conference.  Also appearing this year will be Louis Foreman, creator and executive producer of the Emmy award winning PBS series, Everyday Edisons.

The registration fee includes all sessions and presentations, morning and afternoon refreshments, lunch both days and a networking reception on Friday night.  For additional information about the conference call 571-272-8850.

The Independent Inventors Conference is co-sponsored by the USPTO and the National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation.

>> Click here for 13th Annual Independent Inventors Information.