[Patentpractice] Freaking Ridiculous: Proposed changes to terminal disclaimer practice to promote innovation and competition

Fri May 10 15:08:27 UTC 2024

This is the part that's (especially?) ludicrous:
>
>     -- the Regulatory Flexibility Analysis assumes that making a decision
> about a Terminal Disclaimer is a decision that can be made instantaneously,
> at zero time, at zero cost, and the cost is just filing out the form,
> paying the fee, and filing.  The RegFlex analysis assumes that this change
> to Terminal Disclaimers will impose no additional cost of analysis, ....

So ... the rule change would mean that taking the Terminal Disclaimer would
subject all of the new (application) claims to unenforceability if ANY
claim in the tied patent were invalidated -- regardless of any similarity
or dissimilarity of the claims. And the assertion is that no additional
analysis would be needed in advising a client on taking the Terminal
Disclaimer route?
 Just completely divorced from reality.
Tim Ackermann
The Ackermann Law Firm

E:  tim at ackermannlaw.com
P:  817.305.0690
F:  214.453.0810
W: ackermannlaw.com
O: 1701 W. Northwest Hwy. Ste. 100
     Grapevine TX 76051

On Thu, May 9, 2024 at 5:53 PM David Boundy via Patentpractice <
patentpractice at oppedahl-lists.com> wrote:

> Bingo.
>     -- this is clearly substantive.   Beyond PTO's authority.  Not within
> good faith judgment call.
>     -- the claim of "procedural" is false.  Utterly false.  Beyond any
> good faith judgment call.
>     -- claim to have Paperwork Reduction Act clearance is plainly false.
> Again, beyond any good faith judgment call.
>     -- claim to "not significant" for Executive Order 12866.  Beyond any
> good faith judgment call.
>     -- the Regulatory Flexibility Analysis assumes that making a decision
> about a Terminal Disclaimer is a decision that can be made instantaneously,
> at zero time, at zero cost, and the cost is just filing out the form,
> paying the fee, and filing.  The RegFlex analysis assumes that this change
> to Terminal Disclaimers will impose no additional cost of analysis, and
> that the resultant loss of patent value is zero.  Beyond good faith
> judgment call.
>
> Kathi Vidal, your staff are lying their asses off, and you signed off on
> it.
>
> On Thu, May 9, 2024 at 4:34 PM steve--- via Patentpractice <
> patentpractice at oppedahl-lists.com> wrote:
>
>> Since the origin of the OTDP Rejection is judicial, is this simply an
>> extrastatutory administrative over-reach?
>>
>>
>>
>> What authority does the USPTO have to make new substantive rules outside
>> of (a) implementing statutes and (b) ensuring compliance with
>> extrastatutory judicial tinkering with the patent system?
>>
>>
>>
>> Very truly yours,
>>
>>
>>
>> Steven M. Hoffberg
>>
>> Hoffberg & Associates
>>
>> steve at hoffberglaw.com
>>
>> https://www.linkedin.com/in/hoffberg/
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* Patentpractice <patentpractice-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com> *On
>> Behalf Of *Scott Nielson via Patentpractice
>> *Sent:* Thursday, May 9, 2024 3:13 PM
>> *To:* For patent practitioners. This is not for laypersons to seek legal
>> advice. <patentpractice at oppedahl-lists.com>
>> *Cc:* Scott Nielson <scnielson at outlook.com>
>> *Subject:* Re: [Patentpractice] Freaking Ridiculous: Proposed changes to
>> terminal disclaimer practice to promote innovation and competition
>>
>>
>>
>> This seems targeted at drug patents and lowering the cost of drugs. It
>> also seems that this will encourage more junk restriction requirements
>> because applicants will be more accepting of junk restriction requirements
>> and, consequently, examiners will be able to successfully issue junk
>> restriction requirements more often (thereby making it easier for examiners
>> to get counts).
>>
>>
>>
>> *Scott Nielson*
>>
>> 801-660-4400
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> *From:* Patentpractice <patentpractice-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com> on
>> behalf of Randall Svihla via Patentpractice <
>> patentpractice at oppedahl-lists.com>
>> *Sent:* Thursday, May 9, 2024 12:31 PM
>> *To:* For patent practitioners. This is not for laypersons to seek legal
>> advice. <patentpractice at oppedahl-lists.com>
>> *Cc:* Randall Svihla <rsvihla at nsiplaw.com>
>> *Subject:* Re: [Patentpractice] Freaking Ridiculous: Proposed changes to
>> terminal disclaimer practice to promote innovation and competition
>>
>>
>>
>> I haven't fully analyzed the effect of this, but my initial reaction is
>> that it SUUUUUUUUUUUCKS.
>>
>>
>>
>> If they do this, they need to shut down the office for a month and
>> retrain the Examiners on how to make a proper nonstatutory double
>> patenting rejection.  Most of the rejections they issue now are completely
>> BOGUS.
>>
>>
>>
>> Best regards,
>>
>>
>>
>> Randall S. Svihla
>>
>> NSIP Law
>>
>> Washington, D.C.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* Patentpractice <patentpractice-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com> *On
>> Behalf Of *Suzannah K. Sundby via Patentpractice
>> *Sent:* Thursday, May 9, 2024 2:22 PM
>> *To:* patentpractice at oppedahl-lists.com
>> *Cc:* Suzannah K. Sundby <suzannah at canadylortz.com>
>> *Subject:* [Patentpractice] Freaking Ridiculous: Proposed changes to
>> terminal disclaimer practice to promote innovation and competition
>>
>>
>>
>> This is so freaking ridiculous.
>>
>>
>>
>> It’s an attempt to limit continuations and prevent/reduce patents…
>> basically what Dudas tried to do with continuation practice…
>>
>>
>>
>> Suzannah K. Sundby <http://www.linkedin.com/in/ssundby/> *|* Partner
>>
>> canady + lortz LLP <http://www.canadylortz.com/>
>>
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>> *From:* U.S. Patent and Trademark Office <
>> subscriptioncenter at subscriptions.uspto.gov>
>> *Sent:* Thursday, May 9, 2024 2:17 PM
>> *To:* Suzannah K. Sundby <suzannah at canadylortz.com>
>> *Subject:* Proposed changes to terminal disclaimer practice to promote
>> innovation and competition
>>
>>
>>
>> The USPTO has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to add a new
>> requirement for terminal disclaimers.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page
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>> .
>>
>>
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>>
>> News Brief
>>
>> [image: Image removed by sender. US Patent and Trademark Office]
>>
>>
>> Proposed changes to terminal disclaimer practice to promote innovation
>> and competition
>>
>> The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a notice
>> of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to add a new requirement for terminal
>> disclaimers filed to obviate (overcome) nonstatutory double patenting.
>>
>> Under U.S. law, an inventor, patent owner or joint researchers may obtain
>> more than one patent with claims that vary in only minor (patentably
>> indistinct) ways from each other. The USPTO will reject such claims under
>> “obviousness-type double patenting” (also known as “nonstatutory double
>> patenting”) and will allow claims to issue only as long as the practice of
>> obtaining similar claims across patents isn’t used to extend the patent
>> exclusivity term or allow multiple parties to harass an alleged infringer.
>> Both conditions aim to strike a balance between incentivizing innovation in
>> the first instance while providing more certainty to competitors and the
>> public.
>>
>> The proposed rule responds to public feedback and proposes to add a third
>> condition that would further promote innovation and competition by reducing
>> the cost of separately challenging each patent in a group of multiple
>> patents directed to indistinct variations of a single invention. Under the
>> proposed rule, to overcome double patenting the patentee would need to
>> agree that the patent with the terminal disclaimer will be enforceable only
>> if the patent is not tied and has never been tied through one or more
>> terminal disclaimers to a patent in which any claim has been finally held
>> unpatentable or invalid over prior art. In addition to reducing costs, the
>> proposed rule is expected to streamline and expedite patent disputes,
>> narrow validity issues, and provide greater certainty to competitors and to
>> the public. The proposed rule is prospective in nature and would apply to
>> terminal disclaimers filed on or after the effective date of any final
>> rule.
>>
>> The USPTO recognizes that, as with any proposed rule change, patentees
>> will need to consider and potentially adapt their practices. While the
>> USPTO moves forward with rulemaking, the Office is considering ways the
>> Office can support stakeholders. Comments on the proposed rule, as well as
>> comments on USPTO practice as related to the proposed rule, are welcome.
>>
>> “Our mission at the USPTO is to drive U.S. innovation and global
>> competitiveness for the benefit of all Americans,” said Under Secretary of
>> Commerce and Director of the USPTO Kathi Vidal. “This proposed rule is part
>> of a holistic, thoughtful and balanced approach to bolstering our strong
>> intellectual property system. We must remain steadfast in incentivizing and
>> protecting the investments in innovation that drive U.S. leadership, while
>> recognizing that surgical changes can create efficiencies that reduce costs
>> and promote competition.”
>>
>> The full text of the notice is available at the Federal Register
>> <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmZlZGVyYWxyZWdpc3Rlci5nb3YvcHVibGljLWluc3BlY3Rpb24vMjAyNC0xMDE2Ni90ZXJtaW5hbC1kaXNjbGFpbWVyLXByYWN0aWNlLXRvLW9idmlhdGUtbm9uc3RhdHV0b3J5LWRvdWJsZS1wYXRlbnRpbmc_dXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPXN1YnNjcmlwdGlvbmNlbnRlciZ1dG1fY29udGVudD0mdXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fbmFtZT0mdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSZ1dG1fdGVybT0iLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwNTA5Ljk0NTY1OTIxIn0.Ri4CT8s3uXvsmWzgIT6enHV9Hrhc7nCW0h1JVCsMOuc/s/1514988646/br/242170303451-l> and
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