PTO Puts The Brakes On Patent Project
A Web-based governmental social networking project aimed at improving patent quality by connecting the Patent and Trademark Office with outside scientific and technical experts has effectively shut down after a two year test run and accolades from the White House. The Peer-to-Patent project, a joint effort between the PTO and New York Law School's Center for Patent Innovation has stopped accepting new applications but will continue processing those already in the system. The PTO elected to close Peer-to-Patent to new applications "until it can complete a full evaluation of the impact the project has had on the patent examination process," according to a NYLS press release.
There remain more than 70 applications on the Peer-to-Patent site awaiting review and interest in the program remains high as evidenced by the continued interest of applicants, the federal government, educational institutions, and international patent offices, officials said. Major companies such as General Electric, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel, and Microsoft all submitted patent applications to the Peer-to-Patent process. Other patent applications were submitted by Cisco Systems, Disney Enterprises, eBay, Novel, Red Hat, Sun Microsystems, Xerox, and Yahoo, as well as smaller firms.
Peer-to-Patent was launched in June 2007 by Beth Noveck, a professor at the law school who now serves as President Obama's deputy chief technology officer and head of the White House's open government project. The project is featured in the White House Open Government Innovations Gallery, an online resource that "celebrates the innovators and innovations who are championing the President's vision of more effective and open government." IBM executive David Kappos, Obama's pick for PTO director, was one of the early proponents of Peer-to-Patent and directed IBM in providing both financial and technical assistance for the effort.
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