Patently-O Bits & Bytes by Lawrence Higgins

Should anyone really be allowed to request Reexamination?

  •  Since 1981, there has been over 11,000 ex parte reexam request submitted to the PTO. As you would guess the majority (66%) being filed by a 3rd party and 33% being filed by the actual patent owner. In 1982 there were only 187 reexam request compared to 780 in 2010, this is over a 300% increase in request. Also, reexam certificate results show that the actual claim changed 66% of the time. Out of the total request for reexam, only 8% of the requests were denied. This leads me back to my question; should the PTO allow anyone from the general public to request a reexam? I would argue no, essentially because a single individual or company could in theory request a reexam for any and every patent.  [USPTO Ex Parte Reexam Statistics]

Will Apple Sue?

  •  On June 21st Apple was granted patent # 7,966,578 for a “Portable multifunction device, method, and graphical user interface for translating displayed content” essentially a touchscreen device such as the IPad or IPhone. Apple could potentially use patent “578” to force their competitors to either, stop manufacturing infringing products or pay licensing fees. This patent is extremely broad and could cover a lot of items currently on the market such as smartphones, e-readers, and tablets to name several. One of Apple’s competitors will surely request a reexam on this patent and patent “578” is more than likely to end up in litigation. [Link]

USPTO Appoints New Deputy Commissioner for Trademark Operations

  •  Mary Boney Denison has been appointed the new Deputy Commissioner for Trademark Operations. Denison will oversee the examination and processing of applications in the trademark division of the USPTO. [Link]

Patent Jobs:

  • Baker & Daniels is looking for an IP associate with up to 5 years of experience prosecuting patents, to work at their Fort Wayne, Indiana office. [Link]
  • Amgen is looking for an individual with 4 or more years of experience in patent or IP law to join their company as Senior Counsel. [Link]
  • Monsanto is seeking a patent scientist with a MS degree or higher and 2+ year’s research experience. [Link]
  • The Marbury Law Group is seeking an IP associate with 2-8 years patent experience and a telecommunications background, to work at their Reston, Virginia office. [Link]

Upcoming Events:

  • The National Association of Patent Practitioners (NAPP) will hold their 2011 Annual Meeting and Nuts & Bolts Short Course at the Venetian Palazzo Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 16-19, 2011. [Link]
  • The American Conference Institute (ACI) will hold a Hatch-Waxman Boot Camp July 18-19 in San Diego. ACI’s Hatch-Waxman Boot Camp has been designed to give counsel and advisors to brand name and generic drug critical insights into commercialization and the pre-approval process, and also provide an in-depth review of Hatch-Waxman and other IP basics relative to small molecules and biologics. [Link]
  • World Research Group is holding the 8th Annual Patents for Financial Services Summit on July 27-28th in New York. Guest speakers include David Cunningham, Larry Bromberg, Matthew Krigbaum, and Moshe Malina. (Patently-O readers can use Promo Code ENN794 for a $200 discount) [Link]

 

Contact Lawrence.Higgins@patentlyo.com with leads for future Bits and Bytes.