Patent Law Practice Center

Live from the 6th Annual Patent Law Institute – Inside the PTO: AIA Rule Changes

Live from the 6th Annual Patent Law Institute, I am blogging from the panel entitled, “PTO Doings I: Rules and Regs That Are/Are Not Changing for 2012″. The featured panelists include Institute co-Chair John M. White, Brian Hanlon, Robert J. Spar. This afternoon’s discussion continues the close look at the outcome of the PTO rules and policy-making apparatus.  Highlights from our faculty speakers:

Two basic triggers for 2012 USPTO activity include:

1. Office self-initiated actions: The Office moved forward with a number of efforts to improve and streamline the examination/prosecution process, and
2. The AIA, enacted on Sept. 16, 2011: Required the USPTO to take implementing actions, essentially in 3 timed phases, for items effective in:

1. Phase 1: immediately, or within 60 days
2. Phase 2: in one year, or on Sept.16, 2012, and
3. Phase 3: in 18 months, or on March 16, 2013.

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