For over 200 years, the basic role of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has remained the same: to promote the progress of science and the useful arts by securing for limited times to inventors the exclusive right to their respective discoveries (Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution). Under this system of protection, American industry has flourished. New products have been invented, new uses for old ones discovered, and employment opportunities created for millions of Americans. The strength and vitality of the U.S. economy depends directly on effective mechanisms that protect new ideas and investments in innovation and creativity. The continued demand for patents and trademarks underscores the ingenuity of American inventors and entrepreneurs. The USPTO is at the cutting edge of the Nation’s technological progress and achievement. The USPTO is a federal agency in the Department of Commerce. The USPTO occupies several interconnected buildings in Alexandria, Virginia. The office employs more than 13,000 people -- including engineers, scientists, attorneys, analysts, computer specialists -- all dedicated to protecting U.S. intellectual property rights. At the USPTO, the talents of all our colleagues enrich our vibrant workplace, and we celebrate and value each one.
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Congratulations to the 2024 National Inventors Hall of Fame inductees!
Last night the Anthem was filled with the spirit of innovation as we welcomed our Class of 2024 Inductees to the National Inventors Hall of Fame®. Check out some of the standout moments from an unforgettable night! #NIHF2024
Parikha Mehta, a senior advisor with the Office of the Under Secretary, recently delivered the keynote address at Jefferson Lab’s Patent Awards ceremony. “Government-funded innovations play a crucial role in advancing our economy,” Mehta said. “It's truly inspiring to witness the dedication of these innovators as they strive to bring their groundbreaking technologies to the marketplace through intellectual property." We continue to be inspired by our nation’s innovators AND our dedicated public servants like Parikha! (Photos by Aileen Devlin, courtesy of Jefferson Lab) #PSRW #GovPossible #TeamUSPTO
Just announced: In response to public feedback, we have issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to add a new requirement for terminal disclaimers related to nonstatutory double patenting to address patent claims that vary only in minor ways from each other. The proposed rule is expected to streamline and expedite patent disputes, narrow validity issues, and provide greater certainty to competitors and to the public. Learn more and provide your comments by July 9: https://bit.ly/3UTgGMs
From the soil to the skies, inductees of the National Inventors Hall of Fame have impacted our lives and our world. Harriet Strong was inducted in 2016 for her dams and reservoir construction and irrigation system inventions in the early 1900s, and last year, NASA chemist Robert Bryant was inducted for his work on implantable cardiac resynchronization therapy. Read stories of past and present inductees into the Hall of Fame - and what inspired them to invent - in our latest Journeys of Innovation story: https://bit.ly/4diWeeV
Join us at our quarterly meeting of the Trademark Public Advisory Committee (TPAC) to hear from agency leadership on trademark-related policies, goals, performance, budgets, and user fees. 🗓️ May 10 🕚 11 a.m. ET 💻 https://bit.ly/3QrpA14
Deputy Director Derrick Brent welcomed the 2024 National Inventors Hall of Fame inductees for the Illumination Ceremony, where inventors add their patent numbers and name plates to the Gallery of Icons to shine bright along with other visionary inventor inductees at the NIHF Museum in USPTO headquarters. Learn more about this special ceremony: https://bit.ly/3JVC4dI
Can you name this well-known invention? > The invention includes a vent for “discharging to the atmosphere odors and gases arising from the kettle” during operations. > The kettle sits on top of a heating element and features a "hingedly supported cover yieldable to pressure [...] for automatic overflow discharge.” > This is one noisy invention, but it’s a delicious noise! Is that hint too corny? Want to be the first to see innovative engineering patents like this one? We’re hiring patent examiners with STEM degrees for work-from-home roles: https://bit.ly/patent-23.
Congrats to our Chief AI Officer Jerry Ma! 🎉 Ma is a finalist for the Partnership for Public Service Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals that recognize civil servants who have made significant contributions to the public. Work of recipients includes defending the homeland, protecting the environment, exploring the universe, ensuring public safety, making scientific and medical discoveries, and responding to natural disasters. He has been recognized for developing new technology resources for the public and the agency’s personnel, and led efforts to establish the agency approach toward the use of artificial intelligence in the development and protection of inventions. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3QDiPJA #Sammies2024
Our diversity is our strength! Yesterday, we celebrated our 27th annual Community Day, a time for our colleagues to learn about the various voluntary employee organizations across the agency, for our groups to answer questions and recruit new members, and for all to enjoy time together. #TeamUSPTO #DEIA #PSRW #GovPossible
🔔 More new data! The Patent Assignment Dataset has been updated and contains detailed information on 10.5 million patent assignments and other transactions recorded at the USPTO since 1970 and involving roughly 18.8 million patents and patent applications. Check out the 10.5 million assignments & other transactions: https://bit.ly/3QmwfrL