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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 10, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1556-1557]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-00317]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Patent and Trademark Office

[Docket No.: PTO-P-2024-0055]

USPTO Public Engagement Partnership: Public Meeting Series To 
Enhance Outreach to the Public on Patent Policies and Procedures

AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, U.S. Department of 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of meetings.

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SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is 
announcing the Public Engagement Partnership meeting series to 
facilitate increased engagement with the public about the patent 
system. The USPTO will host the first meeting of the Public Engagement 
Partnership series virtually and in person at the USPTO headquarters on 
March 1, 2024. The purpose of this meeting is to provide education 
about the patent system and to share ideas, experiences, and insights 
related to the administration of the system.

DATES: The first public meeting will take place on March 1, 2024, from 
1-5 p.m. ET. Persons seeking to attend, either virtually or in person, 
must register by February 29, 2024, at the web page in the ADDRESSES 
section below.

ADDRESSES: Register at www.uspto.gov/patents/initiatives/PublicEngagementPartnership. The first public meeting will take place 
virtually and in person at the USPTO headquarters, Clara Barton 
Auditorium, 600 Dulany St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Registration is 
required for both virtual and in-person attendance. All major entrances 
to the building are accessible to people with disabilities.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Linda Horner, Acting Senior Lead 
Administrative Patent Judge, at 571-272-4596 or [email protected]. 
You can also send inquiries to [email protected]. 
Please direct all media inquiries to the Office of the Chief 
Communications Officer at 571-272-8400.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The USPTO's mission is to drive U.S. 
innovation, inclusive capitalism, and global competitiveness with the 
ultimate goal of increasing innovation, entrepreneurship, and 
creativity for the benefit of all Americans and people around the 
world. In fulfilling this mission, the USPTO appreciates that its work 
impacts our country's economic prosperity and, in turn, the public. In 
January of 2023, the USPTO engaged with the public at a listening 
session regarding USPTO collaboration with other government agencies to 
ensure that the patent system is not being used to unjustifiably delay 
competition beyond that reasonably contemplated by applicable law. At 
this listening session, members of the public expressed a desire to 
increase engagement with the USPTO about the patent system.
    To expand outreach efforts, the USPTO seeks to form a partnership 
with members of the public, including, for example, advocacy groups, 
public interest-focused nonprofits, academics, and civil society. The 
Public Engagement Partnership will provide an opportunity to bring the 
public and the USPTO together through a series of engagements to offer 
education about the patent system and to share ideas, experiences, and 
insights related to the administration of the system.
    The USPTO will hold the inaugural meeting of the Public Engagement 
Partnership meeting series virtually and in person at the USPTO 
headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, on March 1, 2024. Presentations 
at this first meeting will provide foundational education about the 
patent system and the USPTO's practices and policies. The meeting will 
also include a panel discussion with representatives of the public 
interest community and advocacy groups on areas of particular interest. 
Subsequent meetings in the series will build on this foundational 
information. For example, future meetings will include presentations on 
tools for understanding a patent and existing mechanisms for 
participation in the patent procurement process, such as third-party 
submissions. Meetings will also cover participation in the enforcement 
of patents before the USPTO via ex parte reexamination requests, and 
petitions for inter partes review and post-grant review before the 
Patent Trial and Appeal Board. These mechanisms are available to the 
public at large.

Instructions for and Information on the Public Meeting

    The public meeting will take place virtually and in person at the 
USPTO headquarters, Clara Barton Auditorium, 600 Dulany St., 
Alexandria, VA 22314, on March 1, 2024, from 1-5 p.m. ET. The agenda is 
available on the USPTO

[[Page 1557]]

website at www.uspto.gov/patents/initiatives/PublicEngagementPartnership. Those interested in attending the meeting 
can register on the same web page.

Katherine Kelly Vidal,
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of 
the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2024-00317 Filed 1-9-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P
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