The US Department of Commerce is reportedly considering a significant overhaul of the current patent maintenance fee structure, proposing a shift from the established flat-fee system to an annual, value-based tax on patents....more
The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has announced that, effective September 1, all PTAB hearings will be conducted in person at USPTO offices, marking a departure from the virtual and hybrid formats adopted in recent...more
7/28/2025
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USPTO
The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has announced the upcoming launch of an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered image-based prior-art search tool for design patents, scheduled to go live on October 1, 2025 (fiscal...more
The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has finalized a rule increasing the annual limit on accepted requests for prioritized patent examination from 15,000 to 20,000, effective with fiscal year 2025 (FY 2025). This...more
On February 25, the United Kingdom (UK) Intellectual Property Office (IPO) launched a survey to collect feedback on potential changes to the UK’s design protection framework. The goal is to ensure that the system remains...more
The new presidential Administration’s cost-reduction initiatives, including a hiring freeze and return-to-office mandate for federal employees, are poised to impact the efficiency of the US Patent and Trademark Office...more