New Options Are Coming for European Patent Protection

Changes are coming in 2023 to the way that patents are obtained and enforced in Europe. Currently, inventions are protected in Europe on a country-by-country basis, with patent applications examined  either i) individually, by the intellectual property authority in each of the EU countries, or ii) centrally, by the European Patent Office.  The patent rights…

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USPTO Institutes Prioritized Examination for Patent Applications

As of September 26, the America Invents Act now grants Prioritized Examination (PE) for those companies/inventors willing to pay an additional application petition fee. The new PE program places applications on a prioritized “fast track” toward final disposition. According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), applications affiliated with the PE program should have…

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New Micro-Entity Status

Certain inventors will experience reduced U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) fees under a new micro-entity classification included in the new patent reform law. Fees charged to micro-entities will be 75 percent less than fees charged by the USPTO to large entities. The new legislation retains the traditional small entity classification, which provides a 50%…

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America Invents Act: Patent Overhaul Becomes Law

The United States Senate voted 89-9 in September to pass legislation to make sweeping changes to the U.S. patent system, culminating a six-year effort on patent reform. President Obama quickly signed the bill into law on September 16th. The legislation fundamentally alters how inventors and companies are awarded patents. Most importantly, the legislation converts the…

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Major Changes to US Patent Laws Coming

The U.S. House of Representatives on June 23 approved significant changes to the U.S. patent system. The Senate passed a similar bill in March, and the House and Senate will now reconcile differences between the two bills, when if passed will be sent to the President. The most significant change brought about would put the…

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