USPTO News  

• A recent article, “Discovering Value: Women’s Participation in University and Commercial Artificial Intelligence (AI) Invention,” reports on a new study finding that women’s participation in patenting results in patents with higher economic value. The article provides a special focus on biotechnology and biotech AI.

• On January 30, 2024, the USPTO announced that it had released a report to Congress regarding patent pro bono programs. 

• The USPTO posted how-to guides for patents and trademarks, in addition to tutorial videos to assist users with the transition to the new Assignment Center, which replaced the legacy Electronic Patent Assignment System (EPAS) and Electronic Trademark Assignment System (ETAS) on February 5, 2024.

• On January 24, 2024, the USPTO announced that it signed a collaborative agreement with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to advance climate technology.

• On January 17, 2024, the USPTO began imposing a surcharge on new non-provisional utility patents filed in non-DOCX formats. 

• The USPTO is seeking applications from law schools to expand its Law School Clinic Certification Program.

• The USPTO began issuing electronic certificates of correction on January 30, 2024. 

• On January 18, 2024, USPTO Director Kathi Vidal wrote a post on the Director’s Blog detailing her support for protecting and enforcing intellectual property in China.

Notices, Guidance, and Requests

• Supplemental Guidance for Examination of Design Patent Applications Related to Computer-Generated Electronic Images, Including Computer-Generated Icons and Graphical User Interfaces, 89 Fed. Reg. 5506 (January 29, 2024) [Comments due November 18, 2024] [Seeking public comments regarding a notice published in the Federal Register on November 17, 2023 regarding supplemental guidance to be used by USPTO personnel in determining whether a design claim including a computer-generated electronic image is directed to statutory subject matter. The notice also provides corrections to some examples.]

• USPTO Public Engagement Partnership: Public Meeting Series To Enhance Outreach to the Public on Patent Policies and Procedures, 89 Fed. Reg. 1556 (January 10, 2024) [Providing notice of the USPTO’s Public Engagement Partnership meeting series to facilitate increased engagement with the public about the patent system, including the first meeting to be held March 1, 2024 virtually and at the USPTO headquarters.]

• Guidelines for Assessing Enablement in Utility Applications and Patents in View of the Supreme Court Decision in Amgen Inc. et al. v. Sanofi et al., 89 Fed. Reg. 1563 (January 10, 2024) [Providing notice of the USPTO’s guidelines to USPTO employees regarding the enablement requirement in view of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Amgen Inc. et al. v. Sanofi et al.]

Final Rules

• There are no new final rules.

Interim Rules

• There are no new interim rules.

Proposed Rules

• There are no new proposed rules.

Proposed Legislation

• On January 12, 2024, Senator Peter Welch of Vermont and Representative Jodey C. Arrington of Texas introduced bills in the Senate and House of Representatives to address patent thickets. 

• On January 10, 2024, Senator Thomas Tillis introduced a bill “[t]o require the Comptroller General of the United States to submit a report on the disclosure process for intellectual property created under a Federal grant, and for other purposes.”