I mentioned this in my previous post, but obviously I need to check my email more often. I got a nice note asking me to post this full announcement up, and I’m happy to oblige.
USPTO Webcast on New Claims and Continuations Rules Thursday, August 23rd
Date: Thursday, August 23, 2007
Time: 1:00 p.m. (EST)
Register:https://uspto-ls.webex.com/uspto-ls/onstage/g.php?d=664144307&t=a
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will hold a special webinar on Thursday, August 23, 2007, at 1:00 p.m. (EST) on new claims and continuations rules that will allow the agency to continue to make the patent examination process more effective and efficient by encouraging applicants to use greater clarity and precision in describing the scope of their inventions. The new rules will be published in the Federal Register available at www.uspto.gov after noon on August 21, and will be effective on November 1, 2007.
During this live, two-hour webcast, USPTO officials will explain the new rules and answer questions. The presentation and audio for this event will be streamed over the Internet. All participants need is a computer with an Internet connection, sound card, speakers and the ability to view Windows Media presentations.
To register for this free webcast, click on the following link:
https://uspto-ls.webex.com
An advance copy of the presentation will be made available to registrants prior to the event.
If you would like to receive regular updates from USPTO on its eCommerce initiatives, please register by clicking on the link below:
RCE and Continuation limitation practice may impact the patent examiners in ways. One foreseeable impact is in the increased number of appeals being filed with the BPAI (Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences), since Applicants will not be able to continue “negotiating” with the examiner about patentably of their invention through several RCEs. Given the fact that examiners are unwilling to enter any sort of after-final amendment which requires them to consider issues which were not previously addressed prior to the close of prosecution (i.e., Final Rejection), one could only foresee Applicants going to BPAI for challenging decisions made by the patent examiner. The downside for the inventors is that they must be pretty serious about their invention since filing an appeal brief is not cheap and the time it takes for BPAI to render a decision may take a long timer as well.
Find out more information regarding patents at http://www.e-formationcentral.com
I saw your information at http://www.patentlyacademic.com/?p=37. Have you seen http://www.FreePatentsOnline.com ? The site might be a good resource to add. This site allows free patent searching, free PDF downloading, free alerts, and more. It is a good resource for intellectual property attorneys, patent searchers, scientists, and students.