USPTO

Get ready for the USPTO’s Invention-Con 2024! We’re bringing together inventors, makers and innovators to help propel them to the next level – and we’ll share little-known federal resources to help fire up business growth. You’ll be able to connect directly with our intellectual property experts, as well as our partner business experts. Join us: 🗓️ Aug. 16 🕚 11:30 a.m. ET 📍 USPTO headquarters, 600 Dulany St., Alexandria, Va. 22304 💻 Stream it online by registering: https://bit.ly/3RPzgD7

NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration was established on this day in 1958! NASA has been a driver of innovation for the past 66 years – from the technology developed for the space race to your living room. To successfully land on the moon, NASA astronauts needed state-of-the-art space shuttles and suits. But they also required seemingly more mundane technologies, such as power tools without cords that could entangle astronauts in a low-gravity environment. Enter the Black & Decker Moon Drill, first used during the Apollo 15 mission in 1971. A few years later, this technology hit commercial markets repurposed as a a cordless, rechargeable, hand-held vacuum cleaner known as the Dust Buster®. Read the full story: https://bit.ly/3kIdGkg

Registering a trademark can seem complicated, but you got this. Join our experts for a step-by-step guide to filling out an application to register your brand name, slogan, or logo. 🗓️ August 6 🕑 2 p.m. 💻 Register: https://bit.ly/3WdSMvM

An organization is only as strong as its people. As our Deputy Director of Human Capital, a results-driven HR leader can make a huge positive impact on building our team to advance American innovation. In this role, you will establish and execute the USPTO’s human capital vision, strategies, programs, policies and procedures with a strong emphasis on customer satisfaction and data-driven decision-making. You’ll work closely with other senior management to help shape the future of our workforce. Join, and help lead, a dynamic team! Apply now: https://bit.ly/3Wls04z  

🎉 We are celebrating the results of the White House Executive Order to promote the safe, secure, and trustworthy development and use of artificial intelligence including USPTO’s guidance on the eligibility of patent claims for the benefit of innovators, practitioners and our patent examiners reviewing applications related to AI. The guidance was developed with input from federal agencies, experts in the AI and emerging technology community, and USPTO stakeholders. Check out more AI highlights on the White House fact sheet: https://bit.ly/4cVsZyp

At a White House Summit on critical and emerging technology standards, Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property joined her colleagues from across government to celebrate the kick of the Implementation Roadmap for the U.S. Government National Standards Strategy. “Raising awareness and strengthening public-private coordination on standards for critical and emerging technologies ensure the U.S. remains a global innovation leader,” said Undersecretary Vidal. “USPTO is proud to play a role in the National Standards Strategy as we work with foreign partners on global alignment on standard essential patents (SEP) to advance a vibrant and competitive SEP market for innovators and licensees.” FACT SHEET: https://bit.ly/46Dl1rr

As the Olympics kick off, let's look at some technological advancements in Summer Olympic sports: 🏅 Patent No. 3,920,940: A switch used at the end of swimming lanes to detect when a swimmer has touched the wall, providing accurate timing and ensuring fair competition without being affected by water waves 🏅 Patent No. 6,002,336: A system that detects false starts and interfaces with recording equipment, crucial for maintaining fairness and accuracy in track and field competitions 🏅 Patent No 10,799,782: A device to display electronic images on sports nets in response to specific events, like indicating whether a tennis ball is in or out   

Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property recently chatted with PBS NewsHour Classroom during our National Summer Teacher Institute to highlight some of the great positions at the USPTO, why her background as a military child taught her a lot about resiliency, and why core tenets of entrepreneurship can be taught to kids through a classic summer activity: a lemonade stand. Watch: https://bit.ly/46pxRJK

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed on this day in 1990, a significant step in prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities in several areas, including state and local government. We’re proud to spotlight Chieko Asakawa, who overcame her disability to research and develop work on more than 20 patents. Blind since the age of 14, she was inspired to develop tools to benefit others with visual disabilities. Among her inventions, she developed a digital system in input and edit Braille, a disability simulator to enable sighted web developers to mimic the experience of blind users, and a Home Page Reader that enables users to access the internet and navigate the web through a computer’s numeric keypad instead of a mouse. She was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2019 for her incredible contributions. Her work exemplifies the spirit of the ADA – and enhances the world for people with visual disabilities. Read her story: http://bit.ly/3j02JZu

Combine your passion for intellectual property (IP) and outreach while leading the USPTO’s newest regional office in Atlanta, Ga. The Regional Office Director will facilitate, coordinate and lead high level engagements with stakeholders related to IP and innovation at the local, state, and federal level. You will represent the agency in the southeast region, playing a vital role in connecting innovators to USPTO resources and services. The vacancy closes soon; apply now: https://bit.ly/3VkfaCZ