USPTO To Reveal New Design For Patents This Week

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will make public the new design for patents this week at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas. The new design will first be used on patent number 10 million, expected to issue this year. There have fewer than 12 basic design changes to the US patent since President George Washington granted the first patent in 1790, and only two in the last 100 years, USPTO said.

1867 patent

The current design dates back 30 years. The event will take place on 11 March, details here.

“Giving inventors exclusive rights to their ideas was defined in the U.S. Constitution, and the 10 millionth represents a significant milestone documenting the United States’ global achievements in innovation and the economic powerhouse that can be built with over 200 years of intellectual property protection,” USPTO said.

“A team of in-house USPTO graphic designers, led by agency employee Jeff Isaacs, created the new patent cover design,” it said. “After several iterations, Commissioner for Patents Drew Hirshfeld made the final selection from three potential final designs. Hirshfeld, along with USPTO Director Andrei Iancu and National Inventors Hall of Fame inductee Robert Metcalfe will unveil the design at the March 11 event.” Iancu took office in recent weeks. Metcalfe is credited as the inventor of the Ethernet and is Professor of Innovation, University of Texas at Austin.

Image Credits: USPTO