USPTO

 Interested in the latest information on trademark policies, goals, performance, budgets, and user fees from USPTO leadership? Join us virtually for the Trademark Public Advisory Committee (TPAC)’s quarterly meeting. 🗓️ Aug. 2 🕚 11 a.m. ET 💻 Register: https://bit.ly/4d0fI7l

Just announced: We are proposing to retain current response deadlines for Trademark post-registration office actions. Share your feedback by August 19. https://bit.ly/46eDI4u

On National Hire a Veteran Day, we want to highlight some of our 900 team members who have served in the military. At the USPTO, veterans continue to serve by protecting American innovation in a variety of roles, from information technology and contracts to finance and engineering fields. Veterans interested in USPTO careers can email [email protected] or learn more about our veteran hiring program: https://lnkd.in/eQnSdpJs

We have been working since early Friday morning to restore workstation access for USPTO employees affected by the CrowdStrike IT outage. This event has significantly affected millions of users globally, and thousands within our USPTO workforce.     All of our external, stakeholder-facing systems were minimally impacted and were restored to full operation as of Friday afternoon. The majority of USPTO employees who lost computer access are now fully online and we project that most of our workforce will be back online before the end of the week.     We express our gratitude for your patience while we work to mitigate the effects of the CrowdStrike IT outage.     Read more in the Director's blog.

Want to learn more about how we’re fast-tracking patent applications for cancer-related technologies? Join us virtually for an overview of the Cancer Moonshot Expedited Examination Pilot Program. The webinar is part of a series of virtual Community Conversations highlighting key federal government initiatives during the White House’s renewed Cancer Moonshot initiative. 🗓️ July 24 🕑 3 p.m. ET 💻 Register: https://bit.ly/46gItdy

With their bulky space suits and oxygen packs, NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the moon on this day in 1969. The innovative space suits took center stage as the Apollo 11 mission was watched by millions of people across the globe. The space suit was designed for high altitude flights – particularly space missions for the Apollo space program. The 21-page patent details how its eight inventors incorporated elements to keep the astronauts safe during the mission, including an integrated assembly of inner comfort liner, intermediate pressure garment, and outer thermal protective garment with removable helmet and gloves. It provided versatility with improved sealing and increased mobility for internal pressures for life support in the near vacuum of outer space. Swipe to learn about three features of the innovative space suit.

We’re delighted Congress has designated July as National Anti-Counterfeiting and Consumer Education and Awareness Month, shining a light on how fake goods cause real harm to hardworking brand owners, consumers and society at large. The USPTO has an important role to play in the fight against counterfeits, representing IP owners’ interests worldwide and serving as an expert on intellectual property enforcement for the rest of the U.S. government.

It’s #FlashbackFriday and we’re throwing it back to a true work of art! One year ago, members of our Office of the Chief Administrative Office painted a mural as part of a team building event. Embracing the importance of communication, colleagues worked together to create, paint, and assemble pieces of the mural. Today, the mural hangs proudly in the hallways of the Jefferson Building on the Alexandria campus. #TeamUSPTO

We’re not sure if the inspiration was Army Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, Arkansas’s town of Norman, or Norman “Green Goblin” Osborn, but we’re berry excited to shine a light on a plant patent for the Norman blueberry this month. ‘Norman,’ was invented from seedlings grown and shipped to Fayetteville, Arkansas in late winter of 1986. The seedlings fruited in the summer of 1989 and one seedling – eventually named Norman – was selected for its high fruit quality including excellent picking scar, color, firmness and flavor, along with excellent plant health and vigor. The patent was issued to University of Arkansas and USDA. Since 1974, July has been “National Blueberry Month,” celebrating the little blue fruits that have been nourishing people and contributing to the economy for decades. Blueberries are among the 295 subclasses of plant patents we’ve issued since 1930. Patenting innovative plant species is our jam.

In our latest blog, hear about Major Kayley Squire’s experience during her Air Force fellowship as a senior military advisor at the USPTO and how she contributed to the agency's efforts to reach the military community with entrepreneurial resources. https://bit.ly/4bRhiHF