iam Magazine reported this week that patent grants soared in 2010. According to iam Magazine, IBM received more US patents in 2010 than any other applicant, the number of patents they received rising by 20% to reach 5,896. Samsung and Microsoft were other big gainers over 2009.
Visit the article on iam’s web site for more:
(http://www.iam-magazine.com/blog/Detail.aspx?g=59b3f065-8161-42c9-824b-83a9e72ed1bd)
Commissioner Stoll recently posted to Director Kappos’ blog some facts about RCE Filings. He reports, among other things, that the overall average RCE filing rates have not changed significantly in the last year and that some of the RCE information circulating publicly is incorrect. Commissoner Stoll reports the latest figures for RCE filings: in FY 10, 114,183 RCE applications have been filed through July 12, 2010. This represents 31.2% of total UPR (Utility, Plant, and Reissue application) filings. Commissioner Stoll also notes that when compared with 110,183 filings over the same period in FY09 and 138,459 filings for all of FY09, it is apparent that the average RCE filing rate has remained fairly constant.
Commissioner Stoll’s post also notes some interesting progress in PTO productivity and indications that the examining corps is working more efficiently with practicioners. This includes:
1) Actions per disposal are down substantially – from over 2.9 in FY 2008-2009 to currently under 2.4.
2) Productivity in July is up by 3.5 percent over the same time last year–386,147 total PUs (production units*) versus 373,170 PUs.
3) Allowances have increased from 136,228 last year at this time to 178,322 this year.
4) Final rejections are up too, with 203,206 final rejections so far this year, compared to 189,202 for the same period in FY09.
5) Interviews, too, are projected to increase by about 60 percent from last year.
This is very good news. Commissioner Stolls blog posting is well worth reading in full as it contains a number of other excellent statistics and observations.
