Patent Information Users Group, Inc.

We want to hear from you for the 11th year of the PIUG Biotechnology Conference. Please submit your topics for sessions by 28 Oct 2016 to Greg Roland or Leah Sandvoss.

Further details on how to submit can be found the 2017 Biotechnology Conference pages.

Thank you!

PIUG 2016 Northeast Conference

Early Bird Registration is available now through August 26, 2016.

Preliminary Program has been announced.

The conference will be held on Tuesday, September 27 at the Renaissance Woodbridge Hotel in Iselin, NJ. 

Please see the PIUG 2016 Northeast Conference Overview for more details.

PIUG 2016 Annual Conference Plenary and Business Meeting presentations are available for viewing and downloading in the members-only section of the PIUG wiki on PIUG 2016 Annual Conference Presentations. These presentation files may not be shared with non-members. PIUG is an organization of individuals and not companies, so sharing presentation files with colleagues who are not PIUG members is against PIUG policy. We welcome new members and renewals per the PIUG Membership Benefits page. 

If you are a current, paid-up PIUG member and are logged in but still get an access-error message when trying to go to the PIUG 2016 Annual Conference Presentations wiki page, you may not have been granted members-only privileges properly. Please contact the the PIUG Wikimaster at wikimaster@piug.org for assistance on this matter.

Two workshops by the US and European Patent Offices were given in conjunction with the the PIUG 2016 Annual Conference. The presentations are being made available to all interested parties to read and share.

USPTO: Global Patent Dossier (Jessica Patterson) - abstract, presentation (pending)

EPO: EPO's PATSTAT Online (Geert Boedt and Dan Shalloe) - abstract, presentation (zip file containing pdf documents provided by Geert Boedt)

The inaugural E-Newsletter exclusively for PIUG members. The most recent and all archived PIUG Newsletters are available from the members-only web page. Join PIUG for all member benefits.

The results of the recent election of PIUG officers and directors-at-large are available in this election results document provided by our voting company, Simply Voting.

The Nominating and Election Committee and Ken Koubek, Committee Chair, thank all of the nominees for participating in this election and congratulates the winners.

Hotel Poacher/Pirate Warning:  We have been notified that PIUG has been a target of hotel poachers/pirates, whereby representatives of a hotel room booking agency have been contacting PIUG exhibitors and sponsors identifying themselves as part of PIUG and offering to book rooms.  These companies are not in any way affiliated with PIUG and are not authorized to use PIUG’s name or trademarks.  PIUG does not use any third party company to handle its hotel bookings. PIUG strongly recommends that you do not book your hotel reservations with the hotel poachers/pirates and cannot guarantee that, if you book with the hotel poachers/pirates, the reservation is valid.  All hotel reservations should be booked either through PIUG’s online link to the hotel or by calling the Hilton Vancouver Washington directly at 1-360-993-4500.

If you are contacted by anyone asking if you need a room for the PIUG annual meeting who is not a representative of PIUG, please obtain as much information as you can and contact Ken Koubek with the information, so we may take appropriate action. 

PIUG's Patent Searching Fundamentals Course: Early Bird Rate Extended!

Early Bird Rates Extended to March 4, 2016 for the PIUG Patent Searching Fundamentals Course

If you have been contemplating attending this year's course in Alexandria, VA this year, this is the best time to act before rates go up.  PIUG has decided to extend the discounted rates until midnight on Friday March 4, 2016.  Register Now!

The deadline for submission of applications for the Stu Kaback Business Impact Award is 11 March 2016, 11:59 PM US EST. Please read the message on the linked wiki page for more information on the award and the application process. Applicants may be self-nominated or nominated by others. If you believe your work as a patent information professional, the work of your team, or that of others has made a significant impact on your or their business, please submit an application for this important award.

Non-winning applications submitted for 2014 and 2015 remain active. If you wish to submit additional supporting material for an existing application, please do so by the deadline.

All new applications, as well as supporting materials for existing applications should be submitted to secretary @ piug.org (please remove spaces) by 11 March 2016, 11:59 PM US EST.

PIUG 2016 Annual Conference
May 21-26, 2016
Hilton Vancouver Washington
Vancouver, WA 98660

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION IS OPEN
The deadline for the early bird registration is April 1, 2016.
To register online, click here.

Be sure to check out the conference overview and preliminary program for more information.

PIUG 2016 Patent Searching Fundamentals

PIUG Patent Searching Fundamentals provides a fast-paced interactive learning environment that builds a strong foundation for searching patent information. Discover patent searching tips from a faculty of long-time PIUG members with decades of patent information experience. Learn the basics of patent law, patent information resources, searching techniques, patent analysis/visualization, and tips for searching biotech, chemical, and engineering content.

Key topics covered:

·         Why search patents?
·         US patent law
·         International patent law
·         Patent Information resources (free and fee-based)
·         Searching techniques and approaches
·         Tips for biotech information
·         Tips for chemical information
·         Tips for engineering information
·         Technical intelligence and patent analysis
·         Reporting search results
·         Keeping up to date with patent resources

The PIUG Patent Searching Fundamentals course is being offered March 30-31, 2016 at the Global Intellectual Property Academy (GIPA) located at the United States Patent and Trademark Office Headquarters in Alexandria, VA

Find more information and register for the course HERE. 

What they’re saying about PIUG Patent Searching Fundamentals...

“Good guidance on effective search strategy”
- Lynn N

“Helped me expand my current skills by identifying holes in my current strategies, ideas for new improved ways of working, efficiency tips, resources, etc, beyond a true basics class”
- Melissa N

“Great search tips; better informed regarding patent basics”
- Luci B.

“Gives me greater confidence and expertise, widens my professional network. John and Dominic are both effective presenters who are clearly knowledgeable. They are careful to remain neutral RE their own business. Both are approachable and easy to speak with, humble, and willing to share their knowledge. “
- Jim S