- The Patent Office has announced that it is opening three new satellite offices – in Dallas, Denver, and Silicon Valley. A Detroit satellite office is already scheduled to open July 23. The new hubs would hire about 100 examiners each, and, more importantly, serve as places where examiners who work at home can periodically meet without having to travel to Alexandria, Virginia. Patent attorneys would benefit because they would be able to more easily schedule examiner interviews earlier in the day.
- According to a statement, Yahoo and Facebook announced Friday they have “entered into definitive agreements that launch a new advertising partnership, extend and expand distribution arrangements, and settle all pending patent claims between the companies.” The deal has been praised by analysts as likely being good for both sides.
- The judge who tossed Apple’s case against smartphone rival Motorola has been quoted as questioning the merits of software patents – and indeed, most patents except for those for pharmaceuticals. As reported by Reuters, Judge Posner, of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago, stated, “It’s not clear that we really need patents in most industries.”
