Intellectual Property Links:
The first Intellectual Property Link and most important is the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) published International Trademark Classification Changes with a final rule to incorporate classification changes adopted by the Nice Agreement Concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the purposes of the Registration of Marks (Nice Agreement). Link
Secondly, the United States Copyright Office has published an interim rule amending its regulations concerning the recordation of transfers of copyright ownership and other documents pertaining to a copyright under 17 U.S.C. Section 205, and notices of termination under sections 203, 304(c), and 304(d). Link
The United States Copyright Office has published a final rule establishing a separate, lower filing fee for recording documents with the Office when they are submitted with an electronic title list, i.e., a list of certain indexing information about the works to which such documents pertain. Link.
The United States Copyright Office has implemented a series of technical upgrades to its electronic registration system. Link.
Moreover, the NC bar has published an article by Jacob Moore regarding the recent Federal Circuit decision in In Re Janssen that held that a patent issuing from a continuation-in-part (CIP) application is not eligible for 35 USC Secton 121 safe harbor protection, even if the patent is re categorized as a divisional application during reexamination. Thus, the court determined that the patent at issue—US 6,284,471 (the ’471 Patent)—was invalid over reference patents US 5,656,272 (the ’272 Patent) and 5,698,195 (the ’195 Patent) under the doctrine of obviousness-type double patenting. Link.
Moreover, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) electronically provided the ninth edition, Revision 08.2017, of the Manual of Patent Examination Procedure (MPEP). Link.
Furthermore, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) provided a notice that addresses the new practice of requiring separate maintenance fees in each reissued patent based on a single original utility patent, and in original utility patents for which a reissue application is pending and at least one reissue patent has already issued. The new practice for multiple reissued patents and certain original patents that are the basis for reissue applications is set forth in the recent final rule to adjust patent fees. See Setting and Adjusting Patent Fees During Fiscal Year 2017, 82 FR 52780, 52791 (November 14, 2017). Link.
Also, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) provided a final rule with changes in requirements for collective trademarks and services marks. Link.
Also, the United States Copyright Office has published a final rule amending regulations that govern the deposit requirements for certain types of literary works and musical compositions. Link.
Also, the United States Copyright Office has provided notice of modernizing its practices to increase the efficiency of the group registration option for photographs. Link.
By Jeff Watson
Jeff Watson is a patent attorney with 12+ years of experience. He tracks the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the Copyright Office for news. Please find his most recent update below.
Related Pages:
- Patent Search – US search at US PTO records room & written opinion
- Provisional Patent – Preparation and filing of US provisional patent applications
- Patent Application – Preparation and filing of US patent applications (regular/non-provisional)