The Real DC

I just completed my 3rd week of work.  It was busy just like the other ones.  We have lectures and discussions in the morning about a statute or paragraph within a statute with the associated case law and how the patent system works (restrictions, work flow, performance metrics, Automated Information System (AIS)).  This week we went over statute 35 USC 103 which is used for prior art rejections of applications.  It is interesting to see how a single paragraph of law along its case law can have such a big impact on the way things are done.  Also we learned a little bit how we are to be rated as a probationary employee, which is what I am until 1 year after my start date, and non-probationary employee.  It deals with production, quality, docket management, and customer service.  There are bonuses associated with hitting certain marks, but I am not concerned with that right now.  Now I am focused on learning as much as I can about the statutes and what needs to be done to have as compact prosecution as possible.  Then after doing it the right way many times, I will be able decrease the amount of time needed to examine a case, which will put my production right where it needs to when I become a non-probationary employee.

Director Kappos (who has been mentioned and pictured in the blog before) came and spoke to us one afternoon after he was unable to make it to the first time he was scheduled to speak with us.  He covered a wide range of intellectual policy issues while he addressed us.  These included the where the PTO fits in between technology or innovation and the US economy, the patent litigation case between Apple and Samsung in San Jose (Case Info and 10 Things to Know About the Case), the recent decision of Mayo vs. Prometheus (Prometheus Info), and the patent office in general.  Then he took some questions wherein he mentioned 2 things he wanted to do: 1) Have a student loan reimbursement plan and 2) Implement a tuition reimbursement program for law school and graduate school (MS and PhD). I asked a question because nobody else was.  I used some of what he said about the patent office to butter him up and show him that I heard and understood what he told us.  Then I asked him about the 5 Yr Strategic Plan for the USPTO to decrease the time for first action to 10 months.  He mentioned the big hiring spree the PTO is on (1500 PE this year and maybe 1500 PE next year), the adjustments in management style and groups, and the IT department changes.  Now supposedly if you submit a patent today your first office action will come in 15 months.  Also he mentioned the dashboard, but Dad I did not have the heart to him what you told about the dashboard. haha.

Our Large Lecture Room in the Knox Building (and where Kappos addressed us)