“Data is the new oil.” Patent law and practice, like all forms of 21st-century enterprise, are experiencing rapid transformation due to the availability of vast amounts of data. In particular, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) offers several data sources that are relevant to patent practice, including the Bulk Data Storage System, the Patent Examination Data System, and the Open Data Portal.
Patent practitioners could use these data sources for easier access to the data; new ways to explore the data through search or monitoring; and an unlimited range of metrics that can reveal truths and trends in U.S. patent prosecution and examination. However, the U.S. patent community does not appear to be fully aware of these data sources, and this ocean of patent-related data remains largely untapped.
The purposes of this website are to raise awareness of USPTO public data products, to offer resources for collecting and using the underlying data, and to share the results and observations from various analyses based on the data.
All of the content on this website is based solely on my personal opinion and individual effort, and is not representative of the opinions or work of my law firm, colleagues, or current or former clients. Nothing on this website is to be construed as legal advice. Basing any decisions that could affect your IP rights or liability on the information contained herein, rather than on the informed advice of your IP counsel, would be a terrible idea.
About the USPTO Data Project
Four years ago, I embarked on a personal project of converting the USPTO Bulk Data Storage System into a local database. Successful results encouraged me to create additional databases for other USPTO data products and related data sources.
This collection of databases that incorporate public patent data has proven invaluable for exploring the state and dynamics of the USPTO examining corps, as well as convenient access during daily patent practice. My ideas for novel forms of analysis are limited only by the time available to pursue them. I hope to share my experiences and findings with the patent community through this website.
About the Author
I am a U.S. patent practitioner with Strong Force Innovation Portfolio and Strong Force Design. I live in northern Virginia near the main campus of George Mason University, where I recently completed a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE). My previously earned degrees include a Juris Doctor (Case Western Reserve University), a Master of Computer and Information Science (Cleveland State University), and a Bachelor of Science in Biology (The Ohio State University).
I began practicing patent law in 2002, and I entered the field of patent preparation and prosecution in 2007. My work includes a wide range of technical fields, including software, artificial intelligence and machine learning, computing systems and hardware, networking and web technologies, semiconductor fabrication, medical devices, and therapeutic techniques. I am a member and former Director for the National Association of Patent Practitioners (NAPP).