Effective April 17, the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) suspended the expedited examination process for design patent applications under 37 CFR 1.155, commonly referred to as the “Rocket Docket.”...more
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 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
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