Internet Sightings by Frederic M. Douglas and James E. Hawes
This column highlights some of the more notable recent online notices, newsletters, and blogs dealing with IP prosecution issues.
IPWatchdog – a patent law blog – IPwatchdog.com
* On August 30, 2019, a post discussed the Federal Circuit opinion relating to the written description requirement, Nalpropion Pharms., Inc. v. Actavis Labs. FL, Inc., No. 2018-1221, 2019 U.S. App. LEXIS 24281 (Fed. Cir., Aug. 15, 2019) (http://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/opinions-orders/18-1221.Opinion.8-15-2019.pdf). The opinion held that a “substantially equivalent” disclosure in a specification may satisfy the written description requirement if the equivalence applies only to nonlimiting parameters rather than to operative claim steps. (https://www.ipwatchdog.com/2019/08/30/substantially-equivalent-disclosure-may-satisfy-written-description-requirement-circumstances/id=112821/).
Patently-O – a blog written by Dennis Crouch – www.patentlyo.com
* In his August 25, 2019 post, Professor Dennis Crouch mentions that the USPTO plans to increase several fees. Of significant interest to you is a new annual active patent practitioner fee of $340. If you have certification of continuing legal education, then the fee is $240. If you are going to be inactive, you still have to pay $70 annually The Federal Register notice, 84 F.R. 37398, is at (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/07/31/2019-15727/setting-and-adjusting-patent-fees-during-fiscal-year-2020) (https://patentlyo.com/patent/2019/08/uspto-proposed-changes.html).
AIPLA – the profession’s national organization – see AIPLA.org
- AIPLA will hold its 2019 Annual Meeting October 24-26, 2019 in Washington, D.C. More information on this meeting and other events is available at https://www.aipla.org/home/meetings-education/upcoming-events/expand/2019-annual-meeting.
For more information about any of the patent topics mentioned consult Patent Application Practice. Trademark topics are discussed in Trademark Registration Practice. Both are published by West and updated twice a year. For patent prosecution or litigation questions, contact Fred Douglas at 949/293-0442 or by email at fdouglas@cox.net.
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