Posts Tagged: "Holiday posts"

“Adjusting to the new normal” is a phrase that can be used to describe the United States’ and the world’s response to the events of 2021. Almost two years into the pandemic, it is clear that COVID-19 will be around for the near future, and we all have to adjust to it. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) certainly has adjusted, and business as usual is in full effect. Here’s a recap of some of the most significant developments at the USPTO in 2021.

The year 2021 has been a relatively good one for proponents of improving scientific innovation by way of protections for patent rights. Several breakthrough COVID-19 vaccines have been developed by major R&D firms in the pharmaceutical sector, and despite some myopic posturing by several global leaders, a waiver of international IP obligations under the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) has not materialized, ensuring that R&D leaders are properly incentivized to continue pursuing advanced treatments and vaccines for new variants like omicron. Although leading scientists certainly deserve more celebrity status for their advances, patent attorneys are often the unsung heroes of innovation who ensure that protectable property rights arising from those inventions are registered and can be licensed for society’s greater benefit. You can indulge the patent attorney in your life this Christmas with several of the following items that are designed to help attorneys during their daily practice, commemorate early career successes, or provide a fun outlet when an attorney needs to get away from work.

It’s been another challenging year. At the end of 2020, we were all hopeful that 2021 would bring with it a chance to get back to normal, but that has so far eluded most of the world. However, the year did bring with it a lot to be grateful for—the various COVID-19 vaccines, made possible by science and arguably made viable by intellectual property rights—were initially rolled out in the United States beginning in late 2020 and became available to the masses in the spring of 2021. Today, about 60% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated, and there would be many hundreds of thousands more deaths without the vaccines. IPWatchdog was able to have its first annual LIVE! event as a result of the vaccines as well, and it was a huge success. I’m very thankful to be part of such a great team and to have such truly genuine and wonderful bosses in Gene and Renée. Below are responses to our request for comments on what the IP community is thankful for this year. If you’d like to be added to our mailing list for these roundup perspective pieces, please write us at [email protected].

The fear of being buried alive, also known as Taphophobia, dates back centuries and reached a peak during the nineteenth century, when it was difficult to determine when death actually occurred. There have been many reported instances of individuals being buried alive; unfortunately, its often too late by the time the tragic mistake is discovered…. The fear of being buried alive led to many inventions that would help such an unfortunate person to escape, breathe or signal for help.

Judy W. Reed, one of the first recorded African American women to receive a U.S. patent (No. 305,474), is known for her invention titled “Dough Kneader and Roller”, which was granted patent protection on September 23, 1884. The invention improved upon existing dough kneaders and rollers and included a box for receiving dough and a crank that causes the dough to be drawn between corrugated rollers, whereby the dough is kneaded and rolled into a continuous sheet or ribbon.

Each December, we ask industry experts to identify what mattered in IP for the previous year, as well as their wildest IP dreams for the new year. In 2017, another year-end series was born—predictions and thoughts for the New Year. Attorneys instinctively eschew predictions—and after a year like 2020 we all have learned the hard way they are rather ill-advised—but these brave souls have gone out on a limb to look into their crystal balls, or simply to give their thoughts on what we should be watching or expecting for the year ahead. Here are our esteemed panelists’ responses.

From the Google v. Oracle arguments to Congress’ year-long discussion around reform of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), 2020 was a big one for copyright law. A discussion draft of the DMCA reform bill was released on December 22 by Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Thom Tillis (R-NC), and was meant to solicit comments from stakeholders and other interested parties. Chances the bill will be signed into law anytime soon are slim, but proposed changes such as lowering the specificity with which copyright owners must identify infringing material in certain cases and replacing the notice-and-takedown system in existing law with a “notice-and-staydown” system, would mark a new era in the U.S. copyright regime.

As we get ready to usher in the new year this week (hopefully in smaller groups than usual), it is once again time to look back on the year behind us and to reflect on the biggest moments and key events in the world of intellectual property from 2020. As in years past, we asked a panel of industry experts…

It’s Christmastime yet again and we return to a holiday feature made popular in recent years by IPWatchdog Founder Gene Quinn: a roundup of patents covering the most iconic toys and games ever created. Past lists have featured such classics as Mr. Potato Head, Monopoly, Legos, Simon, the Game Boy and much more. This year, we provide an addendum to this list with a series of 10 additions. Many a child around the world has woken up on Christmas morning to tear the wrapping paper off of a box containing one of the following toys or games, regardless if parents were worried about kids shooting their eyes out or the unusual, sometimes creepy, mood swings of small animatronic owls.

Christmastime is here again, and IPWatchdog is back with the 2020 edition of our Christmas list for patent attorneys. If you have a patent attorney in your life and you have no clue what to get them, the following options should provide you with a few good ideas for gifts—from smaller stocking stuffers to very practical gifts that will show your patent attorney that you’re serious about helping them succeed in their professional life. Merry Christmas!

It began typically enough: the Supreme Court denied cert in Athena, Chargepoint and Trading Technologies; Brexit finally happened; the Federal Circuit refused to rehear Arthrex; and the IP community was waiting for important rulings in copyright cases like Google v. Oracle and trademark cases like Booking.com. But then came COVID. Courts and offices shut down, the USPTO went almost 100% remote, and all conferences and events were cancelled into 2021. At the same time, pharmaceuticals, vaccines – and the IP around them – became the only thing on anyone’s mind.

This Halloween will be different. Depending where you are, trick or treating may be ill-advised or prohibited. So why not dress up your pet and take pictures from the safety of your own home? Here are a few patented pet costumes from the USPTO database to give you some ideas ­­­– your dog will not thank you, but why should 2020 be any better for him than the rest of us?

Two matters currently pending before the United States Patent and Trademark Office illustrate the consequences of focusing upon details of a claim rather than upon the claimed subject matter as a whole. Looked at superficially, the decisions may be consistent with the law and supported by substantial evidence; but are they, really?

One of the longest running features on IPWatchdog is our Industry Insider’s series, which started out many years ago with an annual “wishes” article. Each year, we continue to invite industry insiders to make patent wishes for the new year. Unlike our Predictions and What Mattered roundups, this allows our experts to get creative. We asked the panel to share their wildest IP dreams for 2020—they range from no more monkeys in courtrooms (no, not figuratively) to the USPTO Director taking on the responsibility of instituting America Invents Act trials, to the government maintaining a database of patent ownership and transactions.

Each December, we ask a panel of industry experts to identify the Biggest Moments in IP for the previous year, and likewise ask them for their wishes for the new year. And in 2017, another series was born—Predictions and Thoughts for the New Year. Attorneys don’t normally like to make predictions, but these brave souls have gone out on a limb to either provide their personal crystal ball readings, or simply to give their thoughts on what we should be watching or expecting for the year ahead. So, without further ado, on this first day of 2020, here are the thoughts and predictions of our esteemed panel.