other · US Patent and Trademark Office · Published 2012-08-14 · Effective 2012-09-16 · 77 FR 48756
Document
Document number
2012-17908
Federal Register citation
77 FR 48756
CFR reference
37 CFR 42
Type
Rule
Action
Notice of practice guide.
Category
other
Sub-agency
US Patent and Trademark Office
Publication date
2012-08-14
Effective date
2012-09-16
Commerce docket
Docket No. PTO-P-2011-0094
Abstract
The Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA) establishes several new trial proceedings to be conducted by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (Board) including inter partes review, post-grant review, the transitional program for covered business method patents, and derivation proceedings. In separate rulemakings, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (Office or USPTO) is revising the rules of practice to implement these provisions of the AIA that provide for the trial proceedings before the Board. The Office publishes in this notice a practice guide for the trial final rules to advise the public on the general framework of the regulations, including the structure and times for taking action in each of the new proceedings.