U.S. Patent and Trademark Office - News, Features, and Slideshows

News

• Senate committee approves bill targeting patent trolls

  A U.S. Senate committee has voted to approve a bill aimed at curbing abusive lawsuits by so-called patent trolls.

• USPTO leader New Year's resolution: improve patent quality

  Improving the quality of patents issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will be a top priority there in 2015, the office's acting director said.

• Tech industry likes Obama nominee for patent office

  The U.S. tech industry scored a victory this week when President Barack Obama nominated former Google lawyer Michelle Lee to lead the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

• Supreme Court could limit software patents in Alice case

  A case before the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this week could have a huge impact on business-method and software patents, with some experts concerned that the court could put significant limits on what can be patented.

• What's the problem with DMCA takedown notices?

  A U.S. government effort to encourage agreement among copyright holders and Web-based services on how to improve the notice-and-takedown process in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act began Thursday with some disagreement about what direction the discussions should take.

• USPTO to examine DMCA take-down process

  The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is looking for ideas on how to improve the controversial notice-and-take-down provisions of the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act, amid complaints that the current process is cumbersome for small musicians and filmmakers.

• White House takes steps against patent trolls

  The U.S. White House will launch new efforts aimed at combating abusive patent lawsuits, including a website to assist defendants of patent lawsuits brought by so-called patent trolls.

• Critics to Congress: Put the brakes on patent bill

  The U.S. House of Representatives needs to take more time to debate and rewrite a bill targeting so-called patent trolls because several provisions would hurt legitimate patent holders, several critics of the bill said Tuesday.

• House panel approves bill targeting patent trolls

  A U.S. House of Representatives committee has approved legislation aimed at making it more difficult for so-called patent trolls to use infringement lawsuits against other businesses.

• Shutdown affects government sites, but Weather.gov remains up as storm looms

  As a tropical storm and possible hurricane bears down on the Gulf Coast of the U.S., the National Weather Service's website was churning out weather alerts Friday, despite a partial U.S. government shutdown that has affected citizens' access to other online resources.

• Apple v. Samsung: Samsung requests new trial in patent case

  Samsung Electronics has requested a new trial for a patent related to a US$1 billion infringement ruling against it in a case brought by rival Apple, due to a re-examination of the patent at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

• Obama targets so-called patent trolls

  The U.S. Congress should allow new challenges to patents on processes that are enabled by computers, and lawmakers should make it more difficult for patent-holding firms to gain import injunctions at the U.S. International Trade Commission, the White House has recommended.

• Microsoft collects 13 design patents for Surface, keyboard covers

  The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office yesterday awarded Microsoft 13 design patents for its Surface line of tablets, including their innovative Touch keyboards-slash-covers, according to published documents.

• Google Glass may someday fire up your coffee maker

  Google filed a patent application for technology that will enable Google Glass to control everyday devices such as coffee makers, home alarm systems and garage doors.

• Will iPad get Mac's virtual desktop Spaces?

  The <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/111910-apple-ipad-resources.html">iPad</a> could eventually get the Mac's system for managing different desktops or "workspaces" at once, or something like it, based on a recently revealed patent filing by <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/slideshows/2009/060309-apple-quiz.html">Apple</a>.