USPTO Updates

USPTO's Return to In-Person PTAB Hearings

Effective September 1, 2025, the USPTO requires all PTAB oral hearings, including those for appeals, inter partes reviews (IPRs), and post-grant reviews, to be conducted in-person at a USPTO office, such as in Alexandria, VA, or regional offices in Dallas, Denver, Detroit, or San Jose. View
Patent Fee Adjustments For Fiscal Year 2025: A Shift Toward Cost Recovery And Efficient Prosecution

he USPTO's patent fee revisions, effective January 19, 2025, represent one of the most sweeping changes in recent years. Adjusted fees cover projected operational costs, including a 2.0% civilian pay raise for 2025 and anticipated 3.0% annual increases through 2029. View
2025 Expansion Of Annual Limit For Prioritized Examination Requests

On July 8, 2025, the USPTO finalized a rule to increase the annual limit on Track One Prioritized Examination requests from 15,000 to 20,000 per fiscal year, starting October 1, 2024, and continuing indefinitely until further notice. View
End Of Accelerated Examination For Utility Applications

The USPTO has officially discontinued the Accelerated Examination program for utility patent applications. The program remains available for design patent applications.View
Trademark Fee And Procedural Changes For Fiscal Year 2025: Modernizing Filing And Penalizing Inefficiencies

Effective January 18, 2025 (February 18 for Madrid Protocol fees), the USPTO overhauled trademark fees and processes via a final rule, replacing the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) with the Trademark Center—a more user-friendly platform with auto-save and docket features. View
USPTO’s New AI Strategy: Guiding Responsible Innovation

On January 14, 2025, the USPTO unveiled its Artificial Intelligence Strategy to guide the responsible integration of AI across its operations and the intellectual property (IP) ecosystem. This comprehensive framework, outlined in a 20-page document, aims to harness AI’s potential to enhance patent and trademark examination while fostering inclusive innovation and maintaining U.S. leadership in AI-driven technology.View

USPTO's Return to In-Person PTAB Hearings

Effective September 1, 2025, the USPTO requires all PTAB oral hearings, including those for appeals, inter partes reviews (IPRs), and post-grant reviews, to be conducted in-person at a USPTO office, such as in Alexandria, VA, or regional offices in Dallas, Denver, Detroit, or San Jose. View
Patent Fee Adjustments For Fiscal Year 2025: A Shift Toward Cost Recovery And Efficient Prosecution

he USPTO's patent fee revisions, effective January 19, 2025, represent one of the most sweeping changes in recent years. Adjusted fees cover projected operational costs, including a 2.0% civilian pay raise for 2025 and anticipated 3.0% annual increases through 2029. View
2025 Expansion Of Annual Limit For Prioritized Examination Requests

On July 8, 2025, the USPTO finalized a rule to increase the annual limit on Track One Prioritized Examination requests from 15,000 to 20,000 per fiscal year, starting October 1, 2024, and continuing indefinitely until further notice. View
End Of Accelerated Examination For Utility Applications

The USPTO has officially discontinued the Accelerated Examination program for utility patent applications. The program remains available for design patent applications.View
Trademark Fee And Procedural Changes For Fiscal Year 2025: Modernizing Filing And Penalizing Inefficiencies

Effective January 18, 2025 (February 18 for Madrid Protocol fees), the USPTO overhauled trademark fees and processes via a final rule, replacing the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) with the Trademark Center—a more user-friendly platform with auto-save and docket features. View
USPTO’s New AI Strategy: Guiding Responsible Innovation

On January 14, 2025, the USPTO unveiled its Artificial Intelligence Strategy to guide the responsible integration of AI across its operations and the intellectual property (IP) ecosystem. This comprehensive framework, outlined in a 20-page document, aims to harness AI’s potential to enhance patent and trademark examination while fostering inclusive innovation and maintaining U.S. leadership in AI-driven technology.View

Top