The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on January 9, 2019, held that the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) did not err procedurally when it invalidated the claims of a patent on a ground that it did not institute in its institution decision.

The Supreme Court held that the America Invents Act (AIA) did not change the on-sale doctrine, affirming the decision of the Federal Circuit.

The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board has started a pilot program for cancellation proceedings involving claims of abandonment and/or nonuse. The pilot program will explore a faster, more cost-effective way to remove unused or abandoned registrations from the Trademark Register.

The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on January 14, 2019, vacated and remanded the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board’s decision to deny registration of the mark “GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY” and its design based on likelihood of confusion with the registered mark “GUILD INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT.”

The USPTO is offering training to members of the public on topics related to examination practice and procedure derived from the recent training delivered to experienced USPTO examiners.