Leahy-Smith America Invents Act Implementation

AIA Roadshow Schedule 2012

Date	Event Agenda	Venue	Location
Wednesday, February 15	PPAC Fee Setting Hearing*	USPTO Campus	Alexandria, VA
Thursday, February 16	Genetic Testing Hearing*	USPTO Campus	Alexandria, VA
Friday, February 17	Roadshow*	USPTO Campus	Alexandria, VA
Thursday, February 23	PPAC Fee Setting Hearing*	Sunnyvale Public Library	Sunnyvale, CA
Friday, February 24	Roadshow*	Sunnyvale Public Library	Sunnyvale, CA
Monday, February 27	Roadshow	Marriott Library, University of Utah	Salt Lake City, UT
Wednesday, February 29	Roadshow	Dallas Public Library	Dallas, TX
Friday, March 2	Roadshow	Broward County Main Library	Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Monday, March 5	Roadshow	Boston Public Library	Boston, MA
Wednesday, March 7	Roadshow	Chicago Public Library	Chicago, IL
Friday, March 9	Genetic Testing Hearing*	University of San Diego**	San Diego, CA

 * Webcast is available for these venues. Please see Event Agenda for details.
** Special events tram with “SPECIAL EVENTS” sign will run from 7:45am - 9:45am and 3:30pm - 5pm.

 

• AIA Roadshow Presentation (February 17, 2012)

 

The USPTO announces its complete AIA event schedule for February and March 2012.  Events include seven AIA roadshows, two hearings for the Genetic Testing Study, and two PPAC fee setting hearings. 

At the AIA roadshows, the USPTO will explain its proposed rules for various new provisions required under the AIA including supplemental examination, inter partes review, and post grant review.  At the Genetic Testing Hearings, the USPTO will collect information from the public about ways to offer a second, confirmatory genetic test in situations where there is a gene patent and the patent is licensed to an entity that offers a first genetic test.  At the Fee Setting Hearings, the PPAC will gather public feedback about the USPTO's proposed fee structure for patent services.  The USPTO released its proposed patent fee schedule on Tuesday, February 7th, and it is available here or on the PPAC website. 

Agendas and directions for all events are available through the links in the table below.   Those who would like to give testimony at any of the hearings are welcome to do so by either pre-scheduling testimony or offering unscheduled testimony on the day of the hearing.  Details for prescheduling testimony can be found in the Federal Register Notices about the hearings. 

All events are free and open to the public; pre-registration is not required.  Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.  CLE credit is not available for any event.  Lastly, select AIA roadshows (Alexandria and Sunnyvale) and all hearings will be live webcast on the AIA micro-site.  An AIA roadshow will also be recorded and made available on the AIA micro-site. 

Statement from Director David Kappos: USPTO Releases its Proposed Patent Fee Schedule and its Proposed Contested Case Rules

The USPTO presents our proposed patent fee schedule in advance of the PPAC Fee Setting Hearings.  Specifically, the agency has assembled five documents about our proposed patent fees: (i) a transmittal letter from the USPTO to PPAC explaining our fee setting philosophy; (ii) an executive summary of our proposed fee schedule; (iii) detailed information about our proposed fee schedule; (iv) a table of proposed fee changes; and (v) aggregate revenue calculations:

• USPTO Transmittal Letter to PPAC for Patent Fee Proposal
• Executive Summary: Patent Fee Proposal
• Detailed Appendices: Patent Fee Proposal
• Table of Patent Fee Changes
• Aggregate Revenue Calculations
• Aggregate Revenue Calculations (Excel version)
• USPTO Fee Setting Opinion (February 12, 2012)

The agency followed two principles in its fee setting process.  First, the agency must have a more sustainable funding model than it has had in the past to avoid disruptions in agency operations due to economic fluctuations.  Second, the agency seeks to reduce the backlog of unexamined patent applications and reduce patent application pendency in accordance with the USPTO 2010-2015 Strategic Plan.  The proposed fees were set or adjusted under Section 10 of the AIA to accomplish these principles. 

The USPTO looks forward to engaging with the public about our fee proposal and making any necessary modifications to enhance our final product.  We likewise encourage the public to participate in the PPAC public hearings by either giving witness testimony and/or submitting written comments.  The PPAC Fee Setting Hearings are schedule for Wednesday, February 15 at the UPSTO’s Alexandria campus and Thursday, February 23 in Sunnyvale, California.  Please visit the PPAC website for additional information regarding the hearings.

Separately, the USPTO is releasing its proposed rules for the contested case provisions, i.e., inter partes review, post grant review, the transitional program for covered business methods, and derivation.  The documents appearing below are not the official Federal Register publications of those proposed rules.  The official Federal Register publications will follow later this week on February 9 and 10, 2012, and the agency will provide links to the official documents as soon as they are available.  Publication of the proposed rules in the Federal Register will begin the sixty-day public comment period for the proposed rules.

• Proposed Rule of Practice for Trials before the PTAB (77 Fed. Reg. 6879, Feb. 9, 2012)
• Proposed Trial Practice Guide (77 Fed. Reg. 6868, Feb. 9, 2012)
• Proposed Rules for Inter Partes Review (77 Fed. Reg. 7041, February 10, 2012)
• Proposed Rules for Post Grant Review (77 Fed. Reg. 7060, February 10, 2012)
• Proposed Rules for the Transitional Program for Covered Business Methods (77 Fed. Reg. 7080, February 10, 2012)
• Proposed Rule for the Technological Invention Definition (77 Fed. Reg. 7095, February 10, 2012)
• Proposed Rule for Derivation Proceedings (77 Fed. Reg. 7028, February 10, 2012)