PTAB/USPTO Update - March 2021
- David Cavanaugh, Jason Kipnis, Heather Petruzzi, Brian Lambson, Alexander Nemtzow
- 3.1.2021
USPTO News
- Administrative Patent Judges Michael Cygan and Kristi L. R. Sawert, and Patent Attorney Thomas Volper discussed the one-year ex parte appeal, Fast-Track Appeals Pilot Program, and what happens after PTAB decides an appeal during the February 18, 2021 Boardside Chat webinar.
- The USPTO will host virtual roundtable to gather public feedback on implementation of the Trademark Modernization Act today from 1-3 p.m. ET.
Notices, Guidance and Requests
- Development of a National Consumer Awareness Campaign on Combating the Trafficking in Counterfeit and Pirated Product, 86 Fed. Reg. 26 (February 10, 2021) [Written comment period reopened through March 12, 2021]
- Expanded Collaborative Search Pilot Program Extension, 86 Fed. Reg. 22 (February 4, 2021) [Notice] (Expanding Collaborative Search Pilot (CSP) program through October 31, 2022 for up to 400 request per year, whereby upon request for entry into the program, the USPTO, Japan Patent Office, and Korean Intellectual Property Office exchange search results for corresponding counterpart applications before issuing an office action.)
- Available Relief for Delays in Timely Filing Certified Copies of Foreign Priority Applications Due to the COVID-19 Outbreak, 1483 Off. Gaz. Pat. Office 265 (February 23, 2021; signed January 29, 2021) (“[S]uspend[ing] the requirement in 37 CFR 1.55(f) and 1.55(g) for filing the certified copy of the foreign application” based on “recogni[tion] that some foreign intellectual property offices are not currently issuing paper certified copies of foreign applications due to the COVID-19 outbreak.”)
Final Rules
- There are no new final rules.
Interim Rules
- There are no new interim rules.
Proposed Rules
- There are no new proposed rules.
PTAB Decisions
- New Precedential PTAB Decisions
- There are no new precedential PTAB decisions.
- New Informative PTAB Decisions
- There are no new informative PTAB decisions.
New Requests for POP Review
- There were no Notifications of Receipt of POP requests.
