A Scholar-Activist Challenges U.S. Patent Law

John F Duffy is a professor at the George Washington University Law School. He is looking to change the U.S. patent system through litigation Critics of the U.S. patent system have high hopes that 2009 might be the year Congress acts to amend it.

Recessionary Thinking: Ten zany patents

Even in a recession, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office keeps busy. Since 1996, the annual number of patent filings has jumped 130% to 485,000 last year.

Jay Leno wins right to Web name for his new show

Television host Jay Leno has won control of a Web address using the name of his new show.

USPTO Bailout Bill Introduced

Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy and ranking member Jeff Sessions came to the rescue of the Patent and Trademark Office on Wednesday night when they introduced a bill that will allow the agency to use funds designated for its trademark portfolio to be used to address its growing backlog of patent applications.

USPTO Posts Selected Material on Bilski

The PTO recently announced that "in view of the high level of interest sparked by the case, the USPTO is posting selected court documents from Bilski v. Doll on this Web site." Currently the site only contains PTO material related to the Federal Circuit Panel Proceedings , Federal Circuit En Banc Proceedings, and Supreme Court Briefs .

Obama Picks IBM Patent Guru to Head USPTO

The nomination could see the embattled Patent and Trademark Office receiving a director sympathetic to tech industry issues.