Detroit gets first satellite US Patent Office
An article in the Detroit Free Press begins:
The U.S. Patent and Trade Office is to open its first satellite office in Detroit in the summer and will hire 100 patent examiners to help reduce the agency's vast backlog of requests.
The article includes the text:
Because of research and development done by the auto industry, Michigan has more applicants than most other states, said Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who, along with the state's congressional delegation, lobbied for the office in Detroit.
IPBiz notes that the auto industry is not a leader in granted patents in the U.S., so that the text Because of research and development done by the auto industry, Michigan has more applicants than most other states might be questioned. The same questioning could be applied to the take of Michigan politicians:
"Michigan's selection for the first regional satellite patent office speaks to the wealth of engineering talent and innovation in our state," said U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich. U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said "it makes perfect sense" for Detroit to get the office because of the "groundbreaking research in areas such as agriculture, batteries and autos" being done in the state.
Within the story, one does find the following "wish" for an examination time: [Locke] said the Commerce Department wants to bring down the waiting time for a determination to about a year.
One recalls an earlier statement from the USPTO that they could not hire their way out of the backlog.
The U.S. Patent and Trade Office is to open its first satellite office in Detroit in the summer and will hire 100 patent examiners to help reduce the agency's vast backlog of requests.
The article includes the text:
Because of research and development done by the auto industry, Michigan has more applicants than most other states, said Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who, along with the state's congressional delegation, lobbied for the office in Detroit.
IPBiz notes that the auto industry is not a leader in granted patents in the U.S., so that the text Because of research and development done by the auto industry, Michigan has more applicants than most other states might be questioned. The same questioning could be applied to the take of Michigan politicians:
"Michigan's selection for the first regional satellite patent office speaks to the wealth of engineering talent and innovation in our state," said U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich. U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said "it makes perfect sense" for Detroit to get the office because of the "groundbreaking research in areas such as agriculture, batteries and autos" being done in the state.
Within the story, one does find the following "wish" for an examination time: [Locke] said the Commerce Department wants to bring down the waiting time for a determination to about a year.
One recalls an earlier statement from the USPTO that they could not hire their way out of the backlog.
posted by Lawrence B. Ebert at 7:36 AM
2 Comments:
Hello,
I recently started reading your blog and find it both interesting and informative. As I'm interested in IP/Patents and intend to become either a technical specialist or patent examiner. So reading your blog has been helpful in becoming aware of some issues in the field.
Thanks
While I understand at least some of the reasons for the choice of locale, I had hoped that the USPTO would open its first satellite patent law office in a location that I might actually want to visit or live -- Southern California, for instance. However, hopefully the USPTO's selection of Detroit will help improve that city's economy, in addition to increasing efficiency at the USPTO and taking a bite out of its infamous backlog.
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