We continue our annual tradition of identifying the 10 USPTO examiners with the most skeptical eye toward the patent applications that cross their desks.

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.

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

2020 is not exactly what we expected, was it? Business has felt anything but usual. Now, at the end of the year, we have time to reflect, consider new best practices and areas of improvement, and keep our fingers crossed that 2021 will be at least a tiny bit less surprising.

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.

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.

Patent prosecution can be frustratingly complicated, and the USPTO has created special programs to reign in the usual chaos. Knowing these programs, their purpose, and their success rate can hugely benefit your patent practice.

Technology Center 2400 handles data processing and telecommunications technologies, including multiplex and VoIP, cable and television, recording and compression, cryptography and security, and computer networks.