Patent Information Users Group, Inc.

PIUG is honored to announce that the USPTO-EPO CPC Annual Meeting with Industry Users will be held just prior to this year’s PIUG 2015 Annual Conference! We considered this quite an honor for PIUG, a wonderful opportunity for PIUG Conference attendees.

The CPC Annual Meeting will be held on Friday 1 May at the PIUG Annual Conference hotel, the Westin Lombard Yorktown Center, from 9 AM to 5 PM. Please find attached the signed invitation letter from the USPTO Commissioner for Patents and a draft agenda for the meeting.

The CPC Annual Meeting and the PIUG Annual Conference are independent events; attendance at one is not a prerequisite for attendance at the other.

The CPC workshop is still scheduled for Thursday, May 7th at the PIUG Annual Conference.

There is no cost to attend CPC Annual Meeting, but attendees must register in advance by sending an email to directly to Christopher Kim (christopher.kim@uspto.gov). Questions regarding the CPC Annual Meeting should also be addressed to Chris.

We hope that as many of you as possible will be able to attend both the CPC Annual Meeting and the PIUG Annual Conference.

Contacts:

PIUG: Elliott Lindner (elinder@piug.org)

Christopher Kim (christopher.kim@uspto.gov)

Don't miss the opportunity to register early for significant savings on two special workshops that will be held on Saturday May 2nd at the Westin Lombard Yorktown Center. 

Patent Law Fundamentals for Patent Information Specialists  

This workshop will explain the fundamentals of patent law, the meaning of terminology used in patent databases and the significance of patent laws to searching and reporting patent information. This is the underlying framework that usually "goes without saying" when patent searchers are trained.

Topics will include the conditions for patentability, ownership and assignment of patent rights, priority and the Paris Convention, patenting procedures, patent families, and variability among the patent laws of the United States and other patenting authorities, and will include recent changes that may affect patent searches.

Presenter: Edlyn Simmons, Simmons Patent Information Service, LLC (edlyns@earthlink.net)

Date: Saturday, May 2, 2015 from 8:00am – noon  

Register now for Patent Law Fundamentals for Patent Information Specialists

Patent Documentation from South America: Procedures, Sources and Uses

The workshop will provide a review of the patent information resources relating to the 12 sovereign states of the South American continent (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela) and the dependent territory of French Guiana.

It will consider national and regional activities in relation to IP policy, particularly the role of the Andean Community and MERCOSUR trading blocs, specific aspects of national law and procedure which differ markedly from more familiar regimes, and the publications arising from each country and their inclusion in bibliographic and legal status databases.

Presenter: Stephen Adams, Managing Director, Magister Ltd. (stephen.adams@magister.co.uk)

Date: Saturday, May 2, 2015 from 1:00pm – 5:00pm 

Register now for Patent Documentation from South America: Procedures, Sources and Uses

A new Patent Searching Fundamentals Course is being offered February 19-20, 2015 immediately following the PIUG 2015 Biotechnology Conference at Genentech in South San Francisco.

The course will provide a fast-paced and 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 and visualization, and practical tips for searching biotech, chemical, and engineering content. Find more information and register for the course.

Targeted to both new patent searchers and experienced searchers wanting to elevate their skills, the completely revised course will include significantly more practical and interactive material this year.  Bring your problems and hard questions to try and stump the instructors. No topic will be off limits!

Key topics include:

• Why search patents?
• US patent law
• International patent law
• Patent Information resources (free and fee-based)
• Asian data sources
• Searching techniques
• Searching legal status
• Practical tips for biotech information
• Practical tips for chemical information
• Practical tips for engineering information
• Technical intelligence and patent mapping
• Reporting search results
• Keeping up to date with patent resources

Registration or attendance at the Biotech Conference is not required to attend the Patent Searching Fundamentals course

Contacts:

• John Zabilski (jzabilski at cas.org)
• Dominic DeMarco (demarco at demarcoip.com)

The PUIG 2015 Annual Conference will be held May 2-7, 2015 at the Westin Lombard Yorktown Center. This year’s theme is “From Search Strategy to Business Strategy: Domestic and International Practices, Styles, and Viewpoints.”  The conference will feature world-renowned experts on patent information for technology research and planning, for legal organizations, for patent offices and for overall corporate IP management. The keynote address will be delivered by Raymond P. Niro, a recognized trial attorney specializing in the enforcement of intellectual property rights and senior partner at Niro, Haller and Niro.

Many professionally enriching workshops will also be held in conjunction with the conference. See the PIUG web site for more detailed information.

Don’t forget to register  by March 6, 2015 for significant savings.

Also be sure to reserve your hotel room directly with Westin Lombard Yorktown Center prior by April 13, 2015 in order to guarantee the room prices negotiated by PIUG for this conference.

Contacts:

Ron Kaminecki and Zhifu Shu, Co-Chairs - Program Committee
Elliott Linder and Stephen Adams, Co-Chairs - Planning Committee

 

Early registration is now available for the PUIG 2015 Annual Conference to be held May 2-7, 2015 at the Westin Lombard Yorktown Center in Lombard, Illinois.

Be sure to register by March 6, 2015 for significant savings.

The theme of this year’s conference is “From Search Strategy to Business Strategy: Domestic and International Practices, Styles, and Viewpoints.”  The conference will feature world-renowned experts on patent information for technology research and planning, for legal organizations, for patent offices and for overall corporate IP management. Many professionally enriching workshops will also be held in conjunction with this conference.

The keynote address will be delivered by Raymond P. Niro, a recognized trial attorney specializing in the enforcement of intellectual property rights and senior partner at Niro, Haller and Niro.

Make your hotel reservation directly with Westin Lombard Yorktown Center prior to 5:00 PM CDT on April 13, 2015 in order to guarantee the room prices negotiated by PIUG for this conference.

 

Sponsorship opportunities are still available for this year’s conference.  

Contacts:

Ron Kaminecki and Zhifu Shu, Co-Chairs - Program Committee
Elliott Linder and Stephen Adams, Co-Chairs - Planning Committee

The purpose of the Stu Kaback Business Impact Award is to recognize the achievements of an individual or a team of individuals who, in performing as patent information professionals, have made a distinct impact on an organization such as, but not limited to, a corporation, university, government agency, non-government organization, or a non-profit organization.  A patent information professional for the purpose of this award is a person who searches, analyzes, organizes and/or disseminates patent information, or who designs patent information retrieval systems.  A description of the award and the application process is provided below.  I encourage you to consider applying for this prestigious award or to nominate a colleague who you believe has had a distinct impact on your organization.

 Award Package

The PIUG-sponsored award consists of US$1500.00, a commemorative keepsake, and gratis registration at the PIUG 2015 Annual Conference, an international conference for patent information professionals.  If a team is selected as the award recipient, the US$1500.00 will be divided equally amongst the team members and each member will receive a commemorative keepsake.  The gratis registration will be awarded to a team representative, as designated by the team, who will be presented with the award during the Gala Dinner at the PIUG 2015 Annual Conference.

Application Process Summary

Award applicants may either be self-nominated or nominated by another.  If a team is nominated, the team members may be from the same organization or from different organizations.  If you wish to nominate a patent information professional or a team of patent information professionals for the award, you will need to contact the nominee(s), as the award application requires their input.

The deadline for applications for the 2015 Stu Kaback Business Impact Award is 20 February 2015.  Send completed applications to secretary@ piug.org.  

Examples of situations worthy of nomination include, but are not limited to:

• performance of a patent landscaping project which helped an organization successfully manage a merger, acquisition or partnership;

• a patent validity search which helped a company avoid or support a major lawsuit, or an opposition or revocation proceeding critical to the organization; 

• the development of a new tool or database involving patent information which helped an organization expand into a new market; 

• providing assistance to an organization by way of an advisory board to improve an existing product or service involving patent information; or 

• assisting a project team to develop new ideas and explore their patentability, which led to a new product, process or service of the organization.

Please note that there is no need to disclose any confidential or business-sensitive information in the application.  Further details concerning the application process can be found at http://www.piug.org/an15kaback_award. 

Contact: Elliott Linder PIUG Chair 2014-2016

Early registration is now underway for the PIUG 2015 Biotechnology Conference "Maximizing Value in Biotechnology Searching with New Technologies and Trends" which will be held Monday, February 16, through Friday, February 20 at Genetech in South San Francisco CA. 

Now in its ninth year, the PIUG Biotechnology Conference focuses on best practices for patent information professionals who specialize in biotechnology search and analysis. This years conference will focus on how patent searchers continue to provide value to companies and clients by maximizing their value and keeping up with the technologies and trends.

Conference Schedule

• Main Meeting Presentations and Exhibitions – Tuesday, February 17
  
• Workshops – Monday, February 16, and Wednesday, February 18, at 8:30am - 5:00pm each day. Details will be online soon.
  
• Patent Searching Fundamentals Course by PIUG – Thursday-Friday, February 19-20: 8:00am - 4:30pm on both days. Separate registration and fee required.

Register by January 10, 2015 to take advantage of significant savings!

A New Patent Searching Fundamentals course is being offered February 19-20, 2015 immediately following the PIUG 2015 Biotechnology Conference at Genentech in South San Francisco.

The new course will provide a fast-paced and 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 and visualization, and practical tips for searching biotech, chemical, and engineering content. Find more information and register for the course.

Targeted to both new patent searchers and experienced searchers wanting to elevate their skills, the completely revised course will include significantly more practical and interactive material this year.  Bring your problems and hard questions to try and stump the instructors. No topic will be off limits!

Key topics include:

•         Why search patents?
•         US patent law
•         International patent law
•         Patent Information resources (free and fee-based)
•         Asian data sources
•         Searching techniques
•         Searching legal status
•         Practical tips for biotech information
•         Practical tips for chemical information
•         Practical tips for engineering information
•         Technical intelligence and patent mapping
•         Reporting search results
•         Keeping up to date with patent resources

Registration or attendance at the Biotech Conference is not required to attend the Patent Searching Fundamentals course

Contacts: John Zabilski (jzabilski at cas.org) and  Dominic DeMarco (demarco at demarcoip.com) 

The PIUG 2014 Salary Survey is now available in the Members-Only Resources section of the PIUG wiki. 

If you are not yet a PIUG member, now is an ideal time to join and gain access to this valuable resource in addition to many more! Your new membership will become active immediately upon sign-up and payment, and will continue through the end of 2015. 

Much-deserved thanks to John Arenivar, Seth Mendelson, and Kurt Proegler for all the painstaking work they put into making the PIUG 2014 Salary Survey a reality.

Contact: Elliott Linder, PIUG Chair 2014-2016

We are pleased to announce the call for papers for the PIUG 2015 Annual Conference to be held May 2-7, 2015 at the Westin Lombard Yorktown in Lombard, Illinois.

The theme for this 17th Annual Conference is: 

From Search Strategy to Business Strategy: Domestic and International Practices, Styles, and Viewpoints.

The deadline for submissions is Friday November 7, 2014. Please send your presentation title, abstract, proposed speaker name, company name, brief biography and full contact information to ron@kaminecki.com for consideration.

We are particularly interested in presentations from patent information users working in-house or as external providers, patent offices, IP firms, universities and others who are able to discuss one of the following topics:

• Search basics – Fundamentals needed to get it right down the line
• Searcher communication and relationships – interviewing various clients and recapping results in a variety of settings
• Searching and analysis in support of different business activities and decision making – focusing on why the search has been requested
• Intelligent presentation of search results – What works best of your particular client

Possible formats include both panel discussions and solicited and submitted papers, including:

• Case studies
• Instructive/critical works
• Scholarly works
• Literature reviews
• Statistical studies
• Updates from patent authorities

If you think you may be interested in speaking but require management approval beforehand, please let us know so that we can begin to consider your general proposal for a paper in the meantime (submission of just a few descriptive sentences will be sufficient).

The organizers reserve the right to accept abstracts at their discretion in order to assemble the best possible program. Invited speakers may take precedence over other speakers. Please be advised that your abstract submission may be published on the PIUG web site and related media, shortly after receipt or at any time thereafter. Therefore, do not include confidential or business-sensitive information in your abstract..

If you would like to make a recommendation for a speaker on a particular topic or suggest another topic of interest, we would appreciate hearing from you.

Please see the detailed description on the PIUG web site for more information.

Further news about the program and updates regarding the conference will be posted on the PIUG Discussion Forum (PIUG-DF) and on the PIUG web site.

Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to seeing you at the PIUG 2015 Annual Conference!

Zhifu Shu and Ron Kaminecki – Co-Chairs, Program Committee

Lucy Akers, Kartar Arora, Allison Taylor – Members, Program Committee

Elliott Linder and Stephen Adams, Co-Chairs – Planning Committee