USPTO

If the signs are stacking up, it might be a scam. Email TrademarkAssistanceCenter@uspto.gov or call 571-272-9250.    Learn more at https://lnkd.in/gwe4RJSg #TrademarkScamAwareness

As we wrap up the Summer Olympics – and get hyped for the U.S. to host in 2028! – let’s take a look back at the Olympic Games from 120 years ago and their surprising connection to intellectual property. The 1904 Games were hosted in St. Louis, where the sport of boxing made its official Olympics debut. Also in the city that year? An exhibit highlighting several inventions that would go on to change society. With the Olympics coinciding with the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, a months-long world’s fair, many government agencies set up exhibits in the city. The Patent Office’s showcase included Elisha Gray’s telautograph, a precursor to the fax machine, and an exhibit on the evolution of the harvester complete with a miniaturized working model reaping tiny wheat.

We like to share WHY it’s important to protect your intellectual property with innovators all over the country. At last week’s Federal Technology Symposium in North Carolina, team members from our Eastern Regional Outreach Office collaborated with NC DEFTECH to support panels on protecting technology and participated as “sharks” during a “Joint Force and Installation Modernization Shark Tank.” 🦈 We also met with NSIN - National Security Innovation Network to discuss future innovation efforts. #TeamUSPTO

We never tire of sharing milestones in patent history! Francis Holton received U.S. patent No. 1,000,000 on this day in 1911. He hoped his invention for a vehicular tire that was supported by rubber spirals rather than air would be more durable and less prone to puncturing. Holton’s invention was timely, as more and more Americans owned automobiles throughout the first decades of the 20th century. As the market for vehicular tires grew, his home of Akron, Ohio became known as the “Rubber Capital of the World.” Patent 1 million was issued 75 years after U.S. patent No. 1, also for a wheel – for steam locomotives. Maybe reinventing the wheel isn’t always a bad thing!  

We’ve got the tools to help you turn your ideas into innovations, protect your work, and succeed in the marketplace. Join us at Invention-Con next week! You’ll learn about free federal resources to help you develop, pitch, and fund your innovations. 🗓️ Aug. 16 🕚 11:30 a.m. ET 📍 USPTO headquarters, 600 Dulany St., Alexandria, Va. 22304 💻 Stream it online by registering: https://bit.ly/3RPzgD7

Our patent examiners take pride in protecting American intellectual property, and now you can lead efforts to train future patent examiners! As the Director of the Office of Patent Training, you’ll work to provide direction for sustainability and development of training operations. Ready to bring your passion for employee development and operations to our team? Apply: https://bit.ly/3WFmJos

Growing up surrounded by the lush greenery and rich biodiversity of India, the confluence of nature and chemistry was a constant curiosity to Sumita Mitra. As a chemist at 3M, she found inspiration for a life-changing dental material by looking at the natural structures and properties of a humble fruit. Learn about Mitra’s ‘aha’ moment here: https://bit.ly/4cahOk4 Image courtesy: National Inventors Hall of Fame        

Why don’t fish like pickleball? They’re scared of the net! 🐟 We don’t have that problem; our agency allows flexible schedules for team members, helping them accommodate all that life serves up. You can get your day started as early as 5:30 a.m. or as late as 11:30 a.m. Our colleagues have options that enable them to be their best selves and to maximize pickleball time! 🥒 Take a look at all of our benefits: https://bit.ly/3yj8yXy

Trademark basics, the ultimate guide to IP, data quality and generative AI, and social media tactics for federal agencies. Check out the panels we’re proposing for next year’s SXSW and cast your vote: https://bit.ly/3LXmPBK #USPTOatSXSW

We love seeing inventors proudly displaying their patents! At last week’s Silicon Valley International Inventions Festival, team members from our Western Regional Outreach Office witnessed innovations from around the world while educating attendees about protecting their intellectual property. From a robot doctor invented by a middle schooler to practical solutions for breast cancer survivors, American ingenuity is changing lives.