The Shape of IPR Institution Under Director Squires
For a long time, inter partes review felt like gravity. If you owned a patent and someone filed an IPR, it was less a question of whether you’d be dragged…
A Shift in Section 101? What Recent PTAB Decisions Mean for Software Inventors
For years, Section 101 rejections have been the biggest obstacle for software and computer-implemented inventions. Recently, however, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) has been reversing those rejections at a…
The USPTO’s Exciting Story: Almost Nothing Changed
The USPTO’s 2025 patent data points to an unusual but welcome theme: stability. Utility patent issuances held essentially flat at about 326,000—nearly identical to 2024—continuing a plateau that has persisted…
What the USPTO’s 0% IPR Institution Rate Means for Patent Holders
Since October 2025, USPTO Director John Squires has personally taken control of IPR institution decisions — and the results are stark: every petition submitted under his watch has been denied.…
USPTO Launches AI “Pre-Examination Search” Pilot: What It Means for You
The USPTO just kicked off a new pilot program: the Automated Pre-Examination Search, or ASRN. The idea is simple—before a human examiner ever looks at your application, an AI combs…
USPTO Proposes Major IPR Changes: What Patent Owners Should Know
The USPTO is considering rules that could fundamentally change how inter partes review (IPR) works. If finalized, these changes would make it harder for third parties to challenge patents at…
The USPTO has suspended expedited examination of design applications
The PTO had suspended expedited examinations of design applications back on April 17, 2025, but has issued a final rule to eliminate them altogether, as part of effort “to combat…
USPTO to Charge Extra for Late Continuation Applications — Don’t Get Caught by the Six- and Nine-Year Traps
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) just rolled out a new “late-filing penalty” for continuation applications that come in six or nine years after the earliest priority date in…
USPTO Clarifies AI and Machine Learning Patent Eligibility
The USPTO issued a memorandum on Aug 2, 2025 to help examiners assess subject matter eligibility in software-related inventions, especially those involving AI and machine learning. The memo does not…
The USPTO’s “Settled Expectations” Doctrine — and Why It Matters to You
The USPTO has a new trick up its sleeve — and if you own older patents, you might just like it. It’s called the “settled expectations” doctrine, and Acting Director…