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PTO's Annual Report Reveals Declining Revenue and Application Numbers, Plus Dip In Backlog

BY Sheri Qualters
December 18, 2009

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's (“PTO”) fiscal year 2009 annual report indicates declining revenue and patent filings. Notably, there was both a dip in the backlog of patent applications and an increase in the time it takes for the agency to issue a patent. Some lawyers believe the former can be attributed in part to applicants abandoning applications because of the economic downturn.

Off Budget

The report, which the agency recently released without fanfare, detailed the agency's $135.9 million budget shortfall, or 6.8% of its $2.01 billion forecasted revenue. Fee collections totaled $1.87 billion. (The report can be found at www.uspto.gov/about/stratplan/ar/2009/index.jsp.)

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