Tag: USPTO
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U.S. Patent Awarded for Flexible Spinal Fusion Device
FBC Device ApS, a medical device company in Aarhus, Denmark, has received a U.S. patent for its two-piece disc implants that help spinal surgery patients achieve a more natural alignment. Patent 8,007,536 from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office was officially awarded on 30 August. The invention covers the company’s technology for total disc replacement,…
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America Invents Act Signed Into Law
President Obama signed into law today the America Invents Act at a high school in Alexandria, Virginia, not far from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The bill that passed the Senate earlier this month and House of Representatives in June, changes patent procedures to recognize parties who are first to file their applications, a procedure…
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U.S. Patent No. 8 Million Signed, Reform Bill Action Urged
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) held a ceremonial signing today of the eight millionth U.S. patent awarded in the agency’s history. The USPTO’s director and acting Secretary of Commerce used the occasion to urge the Senate to complete its work on patent reform legislation. USPTO issued patent no. 8 million on 16 August…
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USPTO, Taiwan to Pilot Test Reciprocal Patent Reviews
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced a new pilot test of sharing patent reviews with the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO). The trial of the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) program will permit each office to benefit from work previously done by the other office. USPTO says the expedited examination in each office allows…
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Human Energy Harvesting Technology Developed, Commercialized
Engineers at University of Wisconsin in Madison have created a technology that harvests and converts energy from normal human activities like walking into electrical power for portable electronic devices. The work of Tom Krupenkin and J. Ashley Taylor appears in a paper in the journal Nature Communications, and is the basis of a company formed…
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Patent Awarded for Bacterial Phosphorus Removal Process
Bion Environmental Technologies Inc. in Crestone, Colorado says it has been granted a U.S. patent for its treatment process for organic wastes, particularly livestock wastes. The company’s patent for “Micro-Electron Acceptor Phosphorus Accumulating Organisms” uses bacteria to remove phosphorus from livestock and other animal wastes. Phosphorus is a chemical found in animal waste, which can…
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Prostate Cancer Compound Granted U.S. Patent
Adamis Pharmaceuticals Corp. in San Diego, California says the technology behind its cancer drug candidate has received a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Claims in patent 7863324 “Chroman-Derived Compounds for the Treatment of Cancer” include methods for inhibiting the growth of prostate cancer cells, delaying the progression of prostate cancer, and preventing…
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U.S. Patent Office Signs New, Expanded Reciprocity Deals
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office announced new or expanded patent reciprocity agreements with Israel, Korea, and the Nordic Patent Institute that covers Denmark, Norway, and Iceland. All of the agreements involve pilot tests of expedited patent examinations between the U.S. and partner countries. USPTO calls the overall reciprocity program the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH).…
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150+ Organizations Call for End to USPTO Fee Diversion
Some 154 organizations sent a letter yesterday asking the House of Representatives leadership to preserve a section in the proposed patent reform legislation that lets the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office use collected patent fees to fund its operations. The organizations — representing companies, universities, and not-for-profit groups — sent the letter to Speaker of…
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Court Backs “Clear and Convincing Evidence” Patent Standard
The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 8-0 vote, upheld a lower court ruling that Microsoft Corporation infringed on the patent of a small Canadian software developer, and affirmed the current high bar challengers must clear before overturning a patent. The unanimous decision — Chief Justice John Roberts did not vote because he owns Microsoft stock…