For more than two centuries, the United States of America has promoted and protected intellectual property rights. In the process, we have made revolutionary advances in science and technology. We have become a global leader in innovation, and we have helped create a strong IP system throughout the world. The USPTO is committed to continue working with the IP offices of the world to ensure that all of our IP systems continue to foster innovation.

The theme of this year’s World IP Day—improving lives through innovation—could not be more relevant. We have seen the profound impact that good ideas, protected through a world-class IP system, can have on humanity. From new and powerful technology that we can wear on our wrists and carry in our pockets, to new methods of diagnosing and treating disease, intellectual property can not only improve lives, it can save lives. It can also create new jobs and grow our economy, which is why we must always ensure that our IP system supports small businesses, startups, and individual inventors. Rewarding new ideas with IP rights guarantees that new improvements keep coming. In fact one of you may hold the next idea that could shape our lives for years to come.

Read the remarks by Director Michelle K. Lee.

This month marks the centennial of the United States’ entry into World War I on April 6, 1917, and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has taken a look back into its archives of patents and trademarks from that era.

World War I, and the years that came after it, resulted in a surge of American ingenuity and technological innovation. As soldiers faced different types of warfare, new technologies emerged such as the gas mask. One early version was a breathing device patented by African-American inventor Garrett Morgan in 1914, and subsequent inventors built on his work to create masks that protected soldiers from poisonous gases during the war.

Father of the modern submarine, John Phillip Holland designed and built the first underwater vessel for the U.S. Navy in the late 1800s. His submarine design would become the model for the Navy's fleet of submersibles for the next several decades.

Read the blog by the Department of Commerce.

On April 26, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) celebrated World Intellectual Property (IP) day in Washington, D.C., and across the country in Houston, Chicago, and Silicon Valley. The theme of this year’s World IP Day is “Innovation – Improving Lives.”

One program which is a prime example of innovation improving lives is Patents for Humanity, the USPTO’s awards competition recognizing innovators who use game-changing technology to meet global humanitarian challenges. This year’s winners found new and innovative ways to administer and provide health care solutions in some of the most disadvantaged regions of the world. Watch the USPTO’s Patents for Humanity video to learn more about the program’s mission and impact.

Read the blog by the Department of Commerce.

The Department of Commerce’s Internet Policy Task Force hosted a public meeting on "Consumer Messaging in Connection with Online Transactions Involving Copyrighted Works" on April 18 at the USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia.

In its January 2016 White Paper on Remix, First Sale, and Statutory Damages, the Task Force concluded that when consumers download copies of works (such as eBooks, music, and motion pictures), they do not appear to have a clear understanding of what they can legally do with those copies. It also determined that consumers may benefit from having more information about the nature of their transactions related to copyrighted works delivered online—including whether they are paying for access to content or for ownership of a copy—to instill greater confidence and enhance participation in the online marketplace. The Task Force therefore convened the meeting to facilitate a dialogue about ways to improve consumers’ understanding of license terms and restrictions in connection with online transactions involving copyrighted works.

Learn more about the event or view the agenda.

Deputy Commissioner for Patent Quality Valencia Martin Wallace held the third Patent Quality Chat in the 2017 webinar series on April 11 on Examination Time Analysis.

Examination time goals vary by technology and represent the average amount of time that a patent examiner is expected to spend examining an application. In the webinar, speakers Daniel Sullivan and Eddie Leftkowitz presented the use of examination time goals in the production system, answering questions, and collecting feedback on how these goals can reflect stakeholders’ interests regarding quality, pendency, and cost for services.

Patent Quality Chat is a monthly, lunchtime webinar series designed to provide information on patent quality topics and gather your input. The next Patent Quality Chat will be held on May 9 and will discuss the eCommerce Modernization (eMod) Update.

To learn more about the April Patent Quality Chat, watch the archived video or view the presentation slides.

“Michelle Lee”
EBW 2020

“Mo Rocca on Hosting the NIHF Induction Ceremony”
 Senaya Savir, Capitol File

“The 2017 inductees into the IP Hall of Fame are revealed”
Sara Jayne Clover, IAM

“Answering the Call — Pro Se Assistance at the USPTO”
Kathy Matecki, Patently-O

“USPTO Forms Working Group on Regulatory Reform”
Donald Zuhn, Patent Docs

“Nicholas Oettinger: Internal working group reviews USPTO regulations”
Tom Temin, Federal News Radio

“IT Optimization: Knowing your baseline and minimizing risks”
Meredith Somers, Federal News Radio