Press Releases > USPTO to Convene Conference Celebrating America’s Independent Inventors

MEDIA ADVISORY Contact: Brigid Quinn 571-272-8400 brigid.quinn@uspto.gov Neil Grace (202) 530-4558 August 11, 2005 #05-39

USPTO TO CONVENE CONFERENCE CELEBRATING AMERICA’S INDEPENDENT INVENTORS Attendees to Hear from Notable Inventors, Importance of Protecting their Inventions Alexandria, VA – On Friday, August 12, 2005, U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property Jon Dudas will join more than 200 independent inventors at the 10th annual Independent Inventors Conference sponsored by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Attendees will hear from government officials and notable inventors, including Al Langer, the engineer on the medical team who invented the first automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator—a life-saving device. Dudas and other government officials will also remind inventors that their products are their intellectual property—and that they should protect their intellectual property by applying for patents, trademarks and copyrights. WHAT: Celebration of Independent Inventors Remarks about protecting ideas and inventions through patents, trademarks and copyright WHO: The Honorable Jon Dudas, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property The Honorable Stephen M. Pinkos, Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property Al Langer, Co-inventor of the automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator inventor of the cardioverter defibrillator Independent inventors WHEN: Friday, August 12, 2005 9:00 a.m: Opening remarks by Stephen M. Pinkos, Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property 12:30 p.m: Address by Jon Dudas, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property Saturday, August 13, 2005 9:00 a.m: Remarks by Al Langer, Co-inventor of the automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator and Inductee in the National Inventors Hall of Fame WHERE: United States Patent and Trademark Office Headquarters 600 Dulany Street Alexandria, Virginia Visit http://www.uspto.gov/ to learn more about the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. # # #