The Office of the Solicitor serves as legal counsel to the USPTO on intellectual property law and works in collaboration with the Department of Commerce on interagency intellectual property law matters, as well as with the Department of Justice in advocacy before all U.S. courts.
Since I began my tenure over two years ago, the USPTO has worked feverishly to increase American innovation and entrepreneurship. As part of our efforts, we have expanded our footprint so we can better serve every community across the nation.
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director Kathi Vidal published a director’s blog post July 11 addressing the office’s current backlog of patent and trademark applications, which the latest USPTO data show to be 785,387 unexamined applications/25.6 months total pendency for patents and 14.5 months total pendency for trademarks.
Inclusive innovation is a force that is crucial for building a better world. The NAI event, held June 16-18 in Raleigh, North Carolina, showcased a member organization comprising U.S. and international universities and governmental and nonprofit research institutes, with over 4,000 individual inventor members and Fellows spanning more than 250 institutions worldwide.
For 10 years, former and current staff from the USPTO’s Intellectual Property (IP) Attaché offices have visited businesses, inventor support organizations, and legal representatives to hear the concerns of stakeholders and educate them about IP. During recent visits to Orlando and Atlanta, the attachés continued the tradition, presenting a world of possibilities and information to local innovators exploring international IP protection.
Dr. Charles Drew pioneered blood preservation and storage while advocating for more opportunities for Black physicians. Carrying a tray of bright red geraniums, Dr. Charles Richard Drew led his daughter to the backyard of their three-story house on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C., where a circular arrangement of colorful blooms awaited them.
The USPTO granted its 12 millionth utility patent on June 4. “Labeled Nucleotide Analogs, Reaction Mixtures, and Methods and Systems for Sequencing,” awarded to Pacific Bioscience in Menlo Park, California, involves a chemical reagent for use in DNA sequencing that produces faster and more accurate results.
In her National Inventors Hall of Fame® acceptance speech, Andrea Goldsmith honored the legacy of past inductees. Shankar Balasubramanian lauded the USPTO and its current, ongoing mission to encourage and enable intellectual property protection, particularly patents. And Asad Madni thanked future generations for inventions and innovation that will further transform the world.
The USPTO has outlined a comprehensive strategic approach for the federal government, academic institutions, and private industry to share and implement best practices that inspire and support a diverse population of problem-solvers.
The headquarters of Riggs Bank, so prominent it was referred to as the “Bank of Presidents,” resided down the street. Patrons could easily stroll through Lafayette Square, attend a service at St. John’s Episcopal Church, or—given the proper invitation —enjoy a conversation with pre-eminent intellectuals and community leaders at the Cosmos Club, a private social venue for science enthusiasts.