USPTO NEWS: Patent Public Advisory Committee to Meet Thursday

    By Christopher P. Singer --

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office posted a notice on its website today announcing that the next meeting of the Patent Public Advisory Committee (PPAC) will be held on June 18, 2009.  The meeting will be held on the USPTO campus, Madison North Auditorium, Concourse Level, 600 Dulany Street, Alexandria, VA.  The public is invited to participate from 11:00 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. in person, via webcast, or via teleconference.

The PPAC webcast can be accessed here.  To conference in by phone (as a listening participant only) the dial-in number is 1-800-369-1750; passcode: 87786.  The public will be able to submit questions during the meeting by e-mail ([email protected]).  The questions will be reviewed and answered at the end of the public session (as time and subject matter permits) by Acting Chairman Damon Matteo.

The planned agenda includes:

11:00 am – 11:05 am -- Call to Order    
presenting:  Damon Matteo, Acting Chairman

11:05 am – 11:30 am -- Acting Under Secretary's Remarks - Key Issues Affecting the USPTO
presenting:  John Doll, Acting Director of the USPTO

11:30 am – 11:45 am -- Financial Update - Fee Project   
presenting:  Mark Olechowski, acting C.F.O.

11:45 am – 12:05 pm -- Legislative Update   
presenting:  Jefferson Taylor, Director, Office of Governmental Affairs

12:05 pm – 12:20 pm -- OCIO Roadmap Update   
presenting:  John Owens II, C.I.O.

12:20 pm – 12:40 pm -- Break     

12:40 pm – 1:10 pm -- Definition of Quality   
presenting:  Marc Adler, Member, and Andrew Hirshfeld, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Patent Examination Policy

1:10 pm – 1:40 pm -- Quality/Efficiency Initiatives   
presenting:  Peggy Focarino, Acting Commissioner for Patents  

1:40 pm – 1:55 pm -- International Worksharing Update - Status of Foundation Projects   
presenting:  Mark Powell, Director, Technology Center 2600

1:55 pm – 2:15 pm -- CPIO Initiative   
presenting:  Barry Hudson, Acting CPIO

Comments

[Noise above Law]

"Definition of Quality"

This alone makes the event worthwhile.

[Chris Singer]

Noise -

I'm hoping to watch a good amount of this meeting, although the last time I tried there were some serious technical difficulties with the webcast. I think that the PPAC publishes a meeting transcript at some point so we should be able to at least 'read all about it.'

Chris