Patent Law

The International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has informed the USPTO that the search fee required by the European Patent Office (EPO) when the EPO acts as the International Searching Authority (ISA) has increased to $2,496.00 as of April 1, 2008. The current fee when the USPTO acts as the ISA is $1,800.

PCT Update News Release (PDF): LINK
Current USPTO Fee Schedule: LINK

The USPTO and the Intellectual Property Office of Australia have announced its new Patent Prosecution Highway initiative to ?leverage fast-track patent examination procedures already available in both offices to allow applicants in both countries to obtain corresponding patents faster and more efficiently.?

USPTO/IP Australia News Release: LINK

The USPTO has announced that it will be holding its 2008 Business Methods Partnership Meeting on May 29, 2008, from 1-5PM at the USPTO Madison Auditorium (South) in Alexandria, Virginia. According to the news release, ?[s]ubject matter eligibility under 35 U.S.C. 101, and other topical legal issues will be addressed by the Deputy Commissioner for Patent Examination Policy.?

2008 Business Methods Meeting Announcement: LINK