Announcing beta.uspto.gov

>> USPTO Beta Version
The USPTO is pleased to announce the beta test release of its new Web site. The new site has been redesigned to improve the look and feel, as well as to enhance the user experience with improved navigation. The USPTO's goal is to make the Web site technologically up-to-date, user-friendly, and responsive to customer feedback. Please keep in mind this is the initial release of the beta site and the content is not currently up to date. The Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) is still in the process of migrating and reorganizing the content. We invite you to explore the beta web site and give us your constructive feedback. Your comments and suggestions will help us to build a site that better serves your needs. Please submit your feedback either through moderator, or send your comments to betafeedback@uspto.gov.

Transcript of May 21 Online Chat Available

>> Online Chat transcript.

This is a transcript of the online chat held on Thursday, May 21, 2009. This is an edited version of the actual transcript. Where you see “Edited Answer,” the original online chat answer has been modified to ensure completeness of the answer provided by USPTO.

As in previous chats, we received more questions then we had time to answer. We selected questions for posting that we believe would be of interest to others besides the author of the question. Once we selected the question, we developed the answer, and then posted the question and answer for viewing by the public.

Our next chat is tentatively set for July 23, from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Check our Web site in July for confirmation of the date and time.

June 16 Deadline for Collegiate Inventors Competition

The Collegiate Inventors Competition is a national competition designed to encourage college and graduate students to be active in science, engineering, mathematics, technology, and creative invention. This prestigious challenge recognizes and rewards the innovations, discoveries, and research by college and university students and their advisors for projects leading to inventions that may have the potential to receive patent protection. Introduced by the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1990, with USPTO participation, the Collegiate Inventors Competition has annually rewarded individuals or teams for their innovative work and scientific achievement. All entries must be submitted on the official application form and must be postmarked by June 16, 2009.

>> Click here for more information.

USPTO Participates in Obama Administration Open Government Initiative

On his first full day in office, President Obama issued a memorandum on transparency and open government, calling for an unprecedented level of openness in government and recommendations for establishing a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. On May 21, the Administration launched the Open Government Initiative to solicit ideas and expertise from the public for developing open government policy.

As an example of public participation the President is talking about, the USPTO’s peer review pilot is showcased in the Innovation Gallery on the White House Web site. Here, the public can see examples of new ways in which Executive branch agencies are using transparency, participation and collaboration to achieve their missions.

The peer review pilot, launched in June 2007 in the computer related arts and expanded in 2008 to business methods, encourages the public to review volunteered published patent applications and submit technical references and comments on what they believe to be the best prior art to consider during the examination. The pilot is being conducted in cooperation with the Peer-to-Patent Project, organized by the New York Law School’s Institute for Information Law and Policy.