Patent professionals who specialize in a specific type of technology may run into the same examiners from time to time. If that examiner is one of the most difficult in the technology center, knowledge of past performance may be the difference between an allowance and an abandonment.

Technology Center 2100 handles computer architecture and software, with art unit groups focused on computer reliability and control systems, memory access, computer architecture, databases and file management, software development, artificial intelligence (AI), and graphical user interfaces.

In a saturated market, law firms are looking for ways to stand out and deliver the best legal services to their corporate clients. If you are looking to provide quality patent prosecution that ensures long-standing relationships, your firm needs to invest in data analytics.

On January 19, United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Director Andrei Iancu announced his resignation from the agency. In his time as director, he focused on bureaucratic efficiency and clarifying patent eligibility guidelines.

Technology Center 1700 handles chemical and materials engineering, including batteries and fuel cells, metallurgy, adhesives, biochemistry, inorganic chemistry, glass and paper making, and food.

With 2020, seemingly the longest of years, finally behind us, let’s look back at a few of the most important patent-related developments of last year to best prepare for 2021.

Technology Center 3700 is somewhat of a “catch-all” technology center, handling technologies as diverse as medical instruments, shoes and apparel, machine and hand tools, thermal and combustion technology, and refrigeration.

In 2019, the USPTO released a report surveying the participation of female inventor-patentees in the U.S. patent system. The main discovery: women are still underrepresented in the patent system, but their participation rate is slowly improving.

Due to the success of Track One, the USPTO has created the Fast-Track Appeals Pilot Program to carry the benefits of prioritized examination through to appeals.

The new program aims to review eligible appeals and issue a decision within six months from the date a petition is granted. The average pendency for a standard appeal is currently about 14 months — down from a high of 30 months in 2015. Given its low petition fee and promise to cut disposition time by more than half, the Program is likely to be popular among patent applicants — despite one key limitation.

What is the Fast-Track Appeals Pilot Program?
The Program is essentially an extension of the Track One prioritized examination program, which allows applicants to obtain a final disposition on a patent application within 12 months of the application’s filing date. The Track One program is both popular and successful, but prioritized examination under that program does not carry through to appeals from a final rejection — meaning that applicants could lose the benefit of prioritized examination should they decide to appeal. Due to the success of Track One, the USPTO created the new program to carry the benefits of prioritized examination through to appeals. 

The eligibility requirements for the Program are fairly straightforward. To qualify for fast-track status, the following four conditions must be met: 

Technology Center 1600 is the home for life science patent applications at the USPTO. This includes applications related to organic compounds, organic chemistry, molecular biology, immunology, fermentation, and plants.