WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is extending the deadline for comments on new administrative trial proceedings under the America Invents Act.
In a June 27 request in the Federal Register, the PTO stated it was seeking public comment on “all aspects” of the trial proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, including the administrative trial proceeding rules and trial practice guide.
The office initially indicated that written comments must be received on or before Sept. 16.
In a news release Monday, the PTO stated that “in view of stakeholder requests” for additional time to submit comments on the new trial proceedings, the office has extended the public comment period until Oct. 16.
Any comments on all aspects of the new administrative trial proceedings must be emailed to TrialsRFC2014@uspto.gov, and must be received on or before Oct. 16.
For more information about the trial proceedings, click here and here.
President Barack Obama signed the AIA in 2011. The law switched the U.S. patent system from a “first to invent” to a “first inventor to file” system, eliminated interference proceedings and developed post-grant opposition. Its central provisions weren’t put into effect until March 2013.
From Legal Newsline: Reach Jessica Karmasek by email at patents@legalnewsline.com.