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A look back at the highlights of December 2024 |
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Charu Thomas struggled in elementary school and math in particular, but through concentrated effort, she succeeded and eventually excelled. Leveraging her love for math and engineering, she started an augmented reality artificial intelligence software business that aims to make warehouses and the greater supply chain more efficient. |
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Delivering grit and positivity
In early 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic began its deadly spread, it wasn’t looking good for a 20-something-year-old entrepreneur and her young company. At Charu Thomas’ firm, then called Oculogx, orders suddenly stopped coming in for its software that powers augmented reality (AR) smart glasses worn by warehouse workers. Technology rollouts were impacted as businesses scaled back plans during the initial dark days of the public health crisis.
Oculogx was quickly running out of money. Thomas furloughed all of her employees. Desperate for a financial infusion that could save her company and its employees, the young business owner brainstormed.
Read the full story
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USPTO Director Kathi Vidal and Deputy Director Derrick Brent speak on July 18, 2024, at an agencywide town hall in the Clara Barton Auditorium at USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. (Photo by Jay Premack/USPTO) |
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Quality U.S. patents drive our economy and solve world problems
Patents – which help generate more than $8 trillion in economic activity each year in U.S. intellectual property (IP)-intensive industries – are critically important to incentivizing innovation and investment, growing America’s economy, and solving worldwide challenges such as climate change and pandemics. But patents only serve their intended purpose if they are robust and reliable.
By USPTO Director Kathi Vidal | Continue reading
Trademark Center—a new way to apply to register your trademark
We recently shared that on January 18, 2025, Trademark Center will become the only way to apply for a trademark registration. While you can still submit applications in the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) until then, I invite you to join the thousands of customers who have already tried Trademark Center. I think you’ll appreciate some of the updates and new capabilities as you get familiar with the system.
By USPTO Commissioner for Trademarks David Gooder | Continue reading
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The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) honors innovators and brand owners at the combined 2024 Patents for Humanity Green Energy and inaugural Trademarks for Humanity awards ceremony. (Photo by Michael Connor/USPTO) |
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Twelve companies recognized for their efforts to develop and promote green energy technologies
December 3, 2024
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today announced the recipients of the 2024 Trademarks for Humanity and the Patents for Humanity awards. These two USPTO competitions highlight innovators and brand owners who are using intellectual property to address environmental and climate change challenges. The winners were recognized at a ceremony held today in Washington, D.C., at the U.S. Department of Commerce.
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USPTO appoints new members to Council for Inclusive Innovation to increase opportunity and fuel the US innovation economy
December 6, 2024
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced the appointment of ten new members to its Council for Inclusive Innovation (CI2). The new Council members were announced at a reconvening of the full Council at the White House on Tuesday.
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USPTO reaches historic milestone of 100 Patent and Trademark Resource Centers in libraries across the country, U.S. territories
December 12, 2024
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today announced the addition of Tuskegee University and the University of the Virgin Islands to the Patent and Trademark Resource Centers (PTRC) network, officially marking the historic milestone of 100 PTRCs in libraries across the country and U.S. territories. The addition of Tuskegee University and the University of the Virgin Islands are the sixth and seventh Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to be designated as PTRCs.
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NASA, USPTO agreement champions tech transfer and commercialization
December 19, 2024
The Department of Commerce’s U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) today announced a collaboration via a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to promote and advance innovation through technology transfer and commercialization opportunities.
Read the full news brief
Find all upcoming and past events at the USPTO event page.
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Do you know the difference between a design patent and a copyright? On this day, December 16, 1930, Walter E. Disney received a design patent for a toy of his character Mickey Mouse. The design patent, which had a term of 14 years, protected the visual characteristics of the toy only.
Another intellectual property protection for the character lasted a little longer. The copyright for Steamboat Willie – the black-and-white film that publicly debuted the character – expired this year, and the film entered public domain. The copyright was registered with fellow federal agency U.S. Copyright Office in 1928 to protect the film.
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 #OTD in 1836, a catastrophic fire destroyed more than 10,000 patent records. Now called the “X-patents” because they predated modern numbering system, these records were never fully recovered. Think you may know of an X-patent? Email historian@USPTO.gov!
View original post on X
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 We’ve got a little more pep in our step humming Winter Wonderland with these patented artistic shoes for dancing in mind.
❄️ These artistic shoes weren’t actually for walking in the snow, but they were inspired by snowshoes. The 1913 patent granted to Frederick Henschel states the shoes – coupled with training and experience – could be used by performers for stage work ranging from simple moves to difficult feats of balancing and toe work.
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 Need a gift for the intellectual property fan who has all the trinkets? Print a patent and just add a frame!
You can use our Patent Public Search to find patents that make unique and personal gifts, like Thomas Edison's lamp base and a hollow headed gavel to hobbies, like cooking and cars.
View original post on LinkedIn
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