|Keefe's Korner

    There are many changes happening at the Patent Office lately, here's just a few:

    -- Patent applications are now publicly viewable after 18 months from the date of filing, unless a paper is submitted indicating that the patent application will not be foreign filed. You can see them by going to: http://www.uspto.gov/patft/index.html

    -- Business method inventions, including internet related inventions, have now become generally acceptable as subject matter for patent applications -- this is a major break from traditional subject matter for patents.

    -- The Patent Office website USPTO.gov has been enhanced to include copies of all issued patents going back to 1790!  Not only that, but you can view published pending patent applications. These patent documents can be searched and downloaded for free (see link above).

     -- The Patent Office has moved from its old home in Crystal City to its new, ultra-modern home in Alexandria.  The new mailing address is:
        Commissioner for Patents
        P.O. Box 1450
        Alexandria, VA, 22313-1450

     -- An Accelerated Examination Option has become available:  Since the summer of 2006, Applicants who want a final decision within 12 months on whether or not their patent application will be granted can apply for “accelerated examination" of their patent application.  Applicants must disclose all material prior art information of which he/she is aware via a thorough search of the prior art (including U.S. patents and patent publications, foreign patents and publications, publications and products) and explain what that prior art teaches and how his/her invention is different. Further, applicants must explicitly state how their invention is useful and must show how the written description supports the claimed invention. The number of claims is limited (3 independent and 20 total). While accelerated examination procedure might provide a decision in a "short" time (there is no telling whether a normally filed application might be examined just as quickly), the requirements in many cases could straight-jacket the applicant and add considerably to the cost and difficulty of the patent application process. 

    Google has recently implemented a patent search engine which allows you to search most patents by simply typing in a key word. Very impressive!

   These are exciting times for inventors.  With the Patent Office becoming ever more friendly, never has there been a better time to get your idea patented and marketed.

   Sincerely yours,