Intellectual Property Training Programs and Conferences

Myths and Misconceptions: How to Use Intellectual Property Rights to Expand and Protect Your Business Abroad

Date: Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Time: 8:30 - 5 pm

Location: Palo Alto Research Center (PARC), George E. Pake Auditorium, 3333 Coyote Hill Road, Palo Alto, California

Agenda: Click here

Background: During these challenging economic times, small businesses and entrepreneurs must continually innovate and explore new markets in order to survive. Understanding your intellectual property (IP) rights is critical to protecting and commercializing your innovation. As global trade becomes a significant contributor to the revenue growth of businesses, companies must also learn how to export their products to foreign markets. A thorough appreciation of the IP landscape in each market is essential to strategically place your product in the best position for success.

Join the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, U.S. Commercial Service and the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders at this unique export & intellectual property forum. Entrepreneurs, small businesses, and independent inventors will get updates on protecting and enforcing patents, trade secrets, trademarks, copyrights, domain names and also exporting to overseas markets.

Hear experts discuss many of the common misunderstandings and mistakes that U.S. businesses often make in attempting to protect and enforce their intellectual property rights (IPR) both domestically and internationally. Each of the experts will identify and explain problem areas related to their discipline. Panel discussions will also be included to allow the audience to hear from different viewpoints on international trade with overseas partners. A special panel topic will be devoted to China issues, where counterfeiting and piracy are critical concerns for U.S. firms. There will be an opportunity to sign up for one on one meetings with our experts.

Registration for this event: Myths and Misconceptions: How to Use Intellectual Property Rights to Expand and Protect Your Business Abroad

Contacts:

• Jean Vliet, USEAC, Director - Joanne.Vliet@trade.gov
• James Housel, Attorney, USPTO - James.Housel@uspto.gov
• Jeffrey Siew, Attorney, USPTO - Jeffrey.Siew@uspto.gov

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Joint Judicial Conference on Japan and U.S. Intellectual Propert Rights

Date: October 26-27, 2011

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Background: The USPTO, in partnership with the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, announces the first ever Joint Judicial Conference on U.S. and Japanese Intellectual Property Rights.  The judges of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit will join with judges of the Tokyo Intellectual Property High Court at the Joint Judicial Conference that will be held on October 26-27, 2011 in Tokyo, Japan at the Hotel Okura.

In addition to en banc sessions of the courts, there will be a panel discussion about the contributions of each court to its nation, as well as a mock appellate argument before judges of both courts. Topical sessions on important issues in patent law, with panelists of judges and practitioners will also be presented.  Topics include patent exhaustion, indirect infringement, damages & injunctions, obviousness, doctrine of equivalents, and trade secret protection.

Under Secretary David Kappos of USPTO and Commissioner Yoshiyuki Iwai of JPO will also be addressing the audience on Views from the Patent Office.

Sponsors include: 

• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
• The Federal Circuit Bar Association
• IP Lawyers Network Japan
• Japan Federation of Bar Associations
• Japan Patent Attorneys Association
• Japan Intellectual Property Association
• AIPPI・JAPAN
• FICPI・JAPAN
• Keidanren

The registration deadline is Friday, October 14, 2011.

For More Information visit: Joint Judicial Conference on Japan and U.S. Intellectual Property Rights

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Patent Statistics for Decision Makers Conference 2011

Date: November 16-17, 2011

Time: Registration begins at 8:30. Program begins at  9 - 5:30 pm

Location: USPTO Headquarters, James Madison Building Auditorium - 600 Dulany Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

Directions: Click here

Background: Patent data is increasingly used in sophisticated analyses, helping experts to investigate innovation, the advancement of science, and technology-related activities. Patent information is also employed by industry to do competitive analysis and to help plan R&D and technology strategies and in government to gather important information about the patent system and its performance. Advances in computing power and the availability of patent databases have expanded the possibilities for conducting statistical analysis and research, while the demand for patent statistics is rising as economic performance is increasingly tied to technological innovation.

Topics of Interest: The “Patent Statistics for Decision Makers 2011” Conference will explore advances in the analysis of patent information in the context of the changing legal, economic, competitive and technological landscapes. The Conference aims to educate and share best practices by surveying the breadth of thinking - while exploring the frontiers of our knowledge - on issues relevant to using patent information by industry, academic, and government decision makers, such as:

1. Next generation of patent-related indicators, such as indicators of patent quality; 

2. Patent valuation and Intellectual Property (IP) taxation regimes; 

3. Patenting strategies and patents' use in knowledge networks and markets;

4. Business dynamics and technology-based entrepreneurship;

5. Competitive analysis (including patent mapping and visualization);

6. Patenting in growing technical fields (such as clean technologies);

7. Planning R&D investments and measuring R&D performance;

8. Understanding the operation of the patent system and formulating IP policy reform;

9. Sustaining patent office operations in a fee-based system.

Statistical analysis of patent data commonly aids decision makers in assessing the opportunities available to them, and provides key insights into the risks and challenges associated with their decision options.

Space is limited. To register for this program and for more information visit: Patent Statistics for Decision Makers Conference: Click here

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Conference on Boosting the Clean Energy Economy: State, Federal, and Global Partnerships

Date: September 19, 2011

Time: Registration begins at 8:30. Program begins at 9-5:30 pm

Location: USPTO Headquarters, James Madison Building (East) - 600 Dulany Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

Directions: Click here

Background: The United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO), the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Agency (EDA), Clean Energy Group (CEG), and the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program are hosting a clean energy policy conference this fall. Policy makers from federal, state, and foreign governments will gather with industry and academic representatives to discuss the biggest issues facing clean energy development today and ways to overcome these obstacles through more strategic state and federal policy. Topics will include: 

Accelerating Lab to Market: Technology Transfer and Commercialization.  What are the barriers and emerging solutions for turning the research ideas into products and bringing them more quickly to the market?

• Bridging the Valley of Death: Public investment, procurement, and policy.  How can federal and state policies and public investment address the commercialization “valley of death”?
• Economic Development, Growth, and Recovery.  How can federal and state economic development activities support clean energy industries?
• International collaboration.  How do we create demand in the global market for clean energy technologies and link international efforts?

Space is limited. To register for this program visit: Click here

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USPTO to offer Free, Two-Day Conference on Protecting Your Intellectual Property in China and the Global Marketplace

Date: April 6-7, 2011

Time: Registration begins at 8:30. Program begins at 9-5 pm

Location: USPTO Headquarters, James Madison Auditorium (North) - Concourse Level, 600 Dulany Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

Directions: Click here

Background: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will host a free, two-day, seminar for businesses on April 6 – 7, at the USPTO Headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, to help them learn about how to protect against intellectual property theft from China.  China continues to be the number one source of counterfeit products seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in 2010, accounting for 61 percent of all seizures.

During the two-day seminar in Alexandria, intellectual property (IP) experts from the private sector in the U.S. and China and from the United States Government will provide comprehensive information on protecting and enforcing intellectual property rights in China.  The program will include presentations on protecting and enforcing trademarks and patents in China, case studies illustrating these principles in practice, and real world stories and practical tips from companies on the frontline of IP rights protection and enforcement in China.  The program also will feature a presentation on global intellectual property strategy for the small business.

The program is for any company that wants to learn about protecting its products from counterfeiting and piracy, whether the company is contemplating entering the China market, has an established presence in China, or even has no intention of selling or manufacturing its products in China.  USPTO China Road Show/Alexandria is the latest in a series of two-day China IP events that the USPTO is hosting across the country to help educate businesses about the realities of piracy and counterfeiting—which cost the American economy approximately $250 billion annually. 

Space is limited. To register for this program visit: Click here 

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Industry Roundtable Discussion on China's Model/Design Patent System

Date: March 29, 2011

Time: Registration begins at 12:30. Program begins at 1-5 pm

Location: Global Intellectual Property Academy, Madison East 2A74, 600 Dulany Street, Alexandria , Virginia 22314

Directions: Click here

Background: The United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) and the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) are hosting a roundtable discussion on China's system for procuring and enforcing utility model and design patents. The roundtable will provide U.S. companies, inventors, attorneys, and other interested members of the public with the opportunity to obtain and share information about China's utility model and design patent system. Participants will hear from two panels of experienced and knowledgeable IP professionals from the United States and China on the procurement and enforcement of such patents in China, and will have the opportunity to ask questions and share experiences, views and opinions with the panelists.  We are especially interested in understanding how China’s system for procuring and enforcing utility model and design patents is working for rights holders, whether any improvements are needed, and what steps might be taken to improve the system. 

Space is limited. To register for this program visit: Click here 

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A Regional Workshop for Legislators, Judges, Government Representatives on Intellectual Property Law and Strategic Management for Sustainable Economic Development

February 7 – 9, 2011
Amman, Jordan

A Regional Workshop for Legislators, Judges, Government Representatives on Intellectual Property Law and Strategic Management for Sustainable Economic Development.

 >> Click here for more information.

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U.S. Government Delegation Meets Lebanese Government Officials and Intellectual Property Rights Stakeholders

July 22 – 24, 2010
Beirut, Lebanon

From July 22 to 24, 2010, a delegation composed of representatives from various U.S. government agencies visited Lebanon for discussions with Lebanese government officials, private sector leaders, and activists regarding intellectual property rights (IPR) in Lebanon.  Participating in the delegation were officials from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Department of Justice, the U.S. Copyright Office, and the U.S. Department of State.  While in Lebanon, the delegation met with the Ministers of Economy and Trade, Finance, Justice, and Health to discuss the roles of each ministry in combating violations of intellectual property rights and cooperation between the U.S. and Lebanon in this area.  The visit was sponsored by the Middle East Partnership Initiative. [From U.S. Embassy press release]

 >> Click here for more information.

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An East Africa Regional Seminar on: Copyright Enforcement in the Internet Era in Kenya

May 19 – 21, 2009
Nairobi, Kenya

The United States Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO), Global Intellectual Property Academy (GIPA) hosted An East Africa Regional Seminar on: Copyright Enforcement in the Internet Era on May 19 - 21, 2009, in Nairobi, Kenya. More than 50 government officials comprised of judges, prosecutors, customs officials, copyright officials, and legislators from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Ethiopia participated in the 3 day event. Benjamin Hardman, an attorney with the USPTO’s Office of Intellectual Property Policy & Enforcement, was the conference coordinator.

Click here for more information.

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Intellectual Property Forum in Lebanon

November 2, 2007
Beirut, Lebanon

The Global Intellectual Property Academy and the U.S. Embassy Beirut held an Intellectual Property Rights Forum in Beirut, Lebanon on November 2, 2007. More than 180 public and private sector participants attended the event that surveyed law and policy issues related to Patents, Trademarks, Copyright, and Enforcement.

>> Click here for more information.

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Regional IP Law & Policy Program in Jordan

November 5-8, 2007
Amman, Jordan

The United States Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) Global Intellectual Property Academy (GIPA), in cooperation with U.S. Embassy Amman and with the support of USAID, held an IP Law and Policy Seminar in Amman, Jordan on November 5-8, 2007, that covered Patents, Trademarks, Copyright, and Enforcement. More than 100 participants from Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Egypt, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates participated in the regional event.

>> Click here for more information. 

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Regional IP Law & Policy Program in South Africa

August 27-29, 2007
Johannesburg, South Africa

The USPTO's Global Intellectual Property Academy (GIPA) conducted a regional Intellectual Property (IP) Law and Policy program in Johannesburg, South Africa, August 27-29, 2007. Thirty-six government officials from 13 sub-Saharan African countries attended the program, which covered patents, trademarks, and copyrights. A team of USPTO attorneys, an attorney from the U.S. Copyright Office, and an IP specialist from the International Trade Administration (U.S. Department of Commerce) gave presentations and led discussions. Programs like the one held in South Africa are part of the USPTO’s ongoing commitment to raise intellectual property awareness and provide technical assistance that enhances IP protection and enforcement throughout the world.

>> Click here for more information. 

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Conference on Intellectual Property in the Global Marketplace

The intellectual property awareness programs for small businesses, a component of the government-wide STOP (Strategy Targeting Organized Piracy) campaign, are conferences created to address the intellectual property needs of small and medium sized businesses, entrepreneurs, and independent inventors interested in manufacturing or selling their products domestically and abroad.  Presentations are given by USPTO attorneys on identifying, protecting, and enforcing intellectual property rights.  Also participating on the programs are local Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Criminal Divisions of the U.S. Attorney’s Offices, Trade Specialists from the U.S. Export Assistance Centers, and library representatives from local government depository libraries who participate in the Patent and Trademark Depository Library (PTDL) program. 

Since May 2005, programs have been completed in the following cities:  Salt Lake City, UT; Phoenix, AZ; Austin, TX; Miami, FL; San Diego, CA; McLean, VA; Columbus, OH; Nashville, TN; Minneapolis, MN and Providence, RI.  

The conferences are free and open to the public.  Six programs are being planned for 2007 and will be announced soon on the USPTO website.

>> Click here for more information. 

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Conferences on Protecting Your Intellectual Property in China and the Global Marketplace

The United States Patent and Trademark Office sponsors free, two-day, programs on "China's Impact on Intellectual Property.” These programs are held several times a year in cities throughout the U.S.

The programs provide comprehensive information on protecting and enforcing intellectual property in China for companies of any size—from those contemplating entering the China market to those with an established presence in China--as well as those who simply want to know more about better protecting themselves against IP theft from abroad.

Topics include a review of China’s laws and regulations that may affect how a business protects and enforces its intellectual property, how best to protect business assets to avoid intellectual property problems in the first place, how to recognize when an intellectual property asset has been infringed, what to do if infringement occurs, and what the U.S. government is doing to improve intellectual property protection and enforcement in China. This program is part of the USPTO’s continuing commitment to increase public awareness of intellectual property rights and the enforcement of these rights in the global marketplace.

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