April 10, 2006
In the April 6, 2006 Federal Register, the USPTO announced its plan to eliminate the Disclosure Document Program. This Program, initiated in 1969, provided a mechanism for inventors to evidence conception of an invention as of a particular date by, for example, the mailing of a self-addressed envelope including an invention disclosure. The USPTO contends that this program provides little if any benefit to inventors, and that it causes some confusion to inventors as they may believe they are actually filing a patent application by using the Program. The proposed statutory modification is to remove 37 CFR § 1.21(c), the section that sets forth the $10.00 fee for filing a disclosure document, from the patent rules, reserving that section for potential future use. The USPTO is allowing comments regarding this proposed change to be considered if received on or before May 8, 2006.
Federal Register Notice (April 6, 2006): LINK
37 CFR § 1.21: LINK
Federal Register Notice (April 6, 2006): LINK
37 CFR § 1.21: LINK
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