Washington, DC - The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) submitted comments to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) in response to the PTO’s comprehensive initiative to increase the quality of granted patents. The PTO initiative focuses on excellence in work products, measuring patent quality, and customer service.

The comments, submitted jointly by the FTC and the DOJ, commend the PTO for its continuing efforts to enhance patent quality, and support efforts to give clearer notice of the boundaries of claimed inventions.

“Clearer patent notice can encourage market participants to collaborate, transfer technology, or – in some cases – to design-around patents, thus leading to a more efficient marketplace for intellectual property and the goods and services that practice such rights,” the comments state.

The Commission vote approving the comments was 5-0. (FTC File No. V150006; the staff contact is John E. Dubiansky, Office of Policy Planning, 202-326-2182.)