Michelle Lee Named USPTO Deputy Director, Will Serve As Acting Director 11/12/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment United States Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker today announced Michelle K. Lee as the next deputy director of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), starting in January. In the absence of a director at USPTO, she will also serve as acting director.
Crowdfunding ‘Operation Ninja STAR’ Arms Small Business Against Patent ‘Trolls’ 10/12/2013 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Small businesses form the backbone of the American economy, but many see patent assertion entities (PAEs), or, “patent trolls” and troll lawsuits as serious wrenches thrown into these economic engines of innovation and ideas. So, Article One Partners (AOP), a global patent research community that crowdsources its research for tech giants and law firms the likes of Microsoft and Google, today launched “Operation Ninja STAR,” a crowdfunding effort to help small businesses defend themselves against PAEs behaving badly.
Despite Global Economic Gloom, IP Registration Boomed In 2012 09/12/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment China is on top again – for rapid growth in intellectual property filings. Defying global economic turmoil, the big headline from the 2013 World Intellectual Property Indicators released today, shows that China topped the charts when compared to other countries in term of patent and trademark filings last year. But the report, produced by the World Intellectual Property Organization, indicated good news for other countries and IP as well; patent filings overall grew by 9.2 percent last year – the fastest growth in the last 18 years.
Cape Town Conference Highlights Innovation, IP And Public Interest 08/12/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – Some 350 experts from around the world are gathering here this week to discuss intellectual property rights and innovation as they relate to the public interest.
Experts At WHO Select Eight Projects To Boost Medical R&D For Developing Countries 06/12/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A group of experts summoned to select projects presenting innovative ways to foster research and development of medical products for diseases primarily affecting developing countries at the World Health Organization this week finished their work and selected eight projects out of 22. Civil society was quick to express concern that the selected projects do not propose a new way forward. Now WHO member states must narrow the list down further.
Largest-Ever Open Access Publishing Initiative To Start At CERN In January 05/12/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) announced today that the largest scientific open access initiative ever will begin on 1 January 2014.
USTR Says Its TPP Proposal On IP And Public Health Shows Flexibility 28/11/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) yesterday issued a statement on the status of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement talks on intellectual property rights and public health, suggesting that it has put forward new ideas on the issue. The statement is worded to reflect that USTR has heard the concerns of other governments and of public health advocates, but it’s unclear if those groups will accept it.
BRICS Launch Their Own Plan For IP Cooperation; India Defends Itself 27/11/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Developing countries have been under pressure for years to join the global intellectual property system established by developed countries, and they have been doing so gradually. But now the leading emerging economies have taken matters into their own hands and signed an IP cooperation roadmap among themselves that will boost their uptake of IP in a way that is most favourable to them.
Medical R&D Projects Proposed By WHO Regions Show Diversity 26/11/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The regions of the World Health Organization earlier this month submitted their proposals for projects to boost research and development of health technologies for diseases disproportionately affecting developing countries and lacking a market incentive. A shortlist of projects will be selected by a group of WHO-chosen experts at a 3-5 December meeting in Geneva.
Global Patent Harmonisation Proceeding Outside WIPO – And Gently Within 25/11/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment For years, the developed countries that own the vast majority of the world’s patents – and therefore pay the majority of the revenues of the World Intellectual Property Organization – have looked unsuccessfully for a way to increase harmonisation of the global patent system through the UN agency. Developed countries have moved forward on their own, while WIPO is taking a gentle approach, encouraging member states “look below the headline issue” to a more “granular” level.