SEC. 101. Short Title.
This division may be cited as the “Unleashing American Innovators Act of 2022”.
Division W — Unleashing American Innovators Act of 2022
DIVISION W Unleashing American Innovators Act of 2022
SEC. 102. Definitions.
In this division:
Director.— The term “Director” means the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the Office.
Office.— The term “Office” means the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Patent pro bono programs.— The term “patent pro bono programs” means the programs established pursuant to section 32 of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (35 U.S.C. 2 note).
Southeast region of the united states.— The term “southeast region of the United States” means the area of the United States that is comprised of the States of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas.
SEC. 103. Satellite Offices.
Amendments to Purpose and Required Considerations.— Section 23 of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (35 U.S.C. 1 note) is amended—
in subsection (b)—
in paragraph (1)—
by striking “ increase outreach activities to”; and
by inserting after “ Office” the following: “ , including by increasing outreach activities, including to individual inventors, small businesses, veterans, low-income populations, students, rural populations, and any geographic group of innovators that the Director may determine to be underrepresented in patent filings”; and
by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
“(2) enhance patent examiner and administrative patent judge retention, including patent examiners and administrative patent judges from economically, geographically, and demographically diverse backgrounds;”
; and
in subsection (c)(1)—
in subparagraph (D), by striking “ and” at the end;
in subparagraph (E), by striking the period at the end and inserting “ ; and”; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(F) with respect to each office established after January 1, 2023, shall consider the proximity of the office to anchor institutions (such as hospitals primarily serving veterans and institutions of higher education), individual inventors, small businesses, veterans, low-income populations, students, rural populations, and any geographic group of innovators that the Director may determine to be underrepresented in patent filings.”
Southeast Regional Office.—
In general.— Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall establish a satellite office of the Office in the southeast region of the United States.
Considerations.— When selecting a site for the office required under paragraph (1), the Director shall consider the following:
The number of patent-intensive industries located near the site.
How many research-intensive institutions, including institutions of higher education, are located near the site.
The State and local government legal and business frameworks that support intellectual property-intensive industries located near the site.
Study on Additional Satellite Offices.— Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall complete a study to determine whether additional satellite offices of the Office are necessary to—
achieve the purposes described in section 23(b) of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (35 U.S.C. 1 note), as amended by this section; and
increase participation in the patent system by individual inventors, small businesses, veterans, low-income populations, students, rural populations, and any geographic group of innovators that the Director may determine to be underrepresented in patent filings.
SEC. 104. Community Outreach Offices.
Establishment.—
In general.— Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall establish not fewer than 4 community outreach offices throughout the United States.
Restriction.— No community outreach office established under paragraph (1) may be located in the same State as—
the principal office of the Office; or
any satellite office of the Office.
Requirement for northern new england region.—
In general.— The Director shall establish not less than 1 community outreach office under this subsection in the northern New England region, which shall serve the States of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
Considerations.— In determining the location for the office required to be established under subparagraph (A), the Director shall give preference to a location in which—
as of the date of enactment of this Act—
there is located not less than 1 public institution of higher education and not less than 1 private institution of higher education; and
there are located not more than 15 registered patent attorneys, according to data from the Office of Enrollment and Discipline of the Office; and
according to data from the 2012 Survey of Business Owners conducted by the Bureau of the Census, less than 45 percent of the firms (as that term is defined for the purposes of that Survey) are owned by women, minorities, or veterans.
Purposes.— The purposes of the community outreach offices established under subsection (a) are to—
further achieve the purposes described in section 23(b)(1) of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (35 U.S.C. 1 note), as amended by this division;
partner with local community organizations, institutions of higher education, research institutions, and businesses to create community-based programs that—
provide education regarding the patent system; and
promote the career benefits of innovation and entrepreneurship; and
educate prospective inventors, including individual inventors, small businesses, veterans, low-income populations, students, rural populations, and any geographic group of innovators that the Director may determine to be underrepresented in patent filings, about all public and private resources available to potential patent applicants, including the patent pro bono programs.
SEC. 105. Updates to the Patent Pro Bono Programs.
Study and Updates.—
In general.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall—
complete a study of the patent pro bono programs; and
submit the results of the study required under subparagraph (A) to the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives.
Scope of the study.— The study required under paragraph (1)(A) shall—
assess—
whether the patent pro bono programs, as in effect on the date on which the study is commenced, are sufficiently serving prospective and existing participants;
whether the patent pro bono programs are sufficiently funded to serve prospective participants;
whether any participation requirement of the patent pro bono programs, including any requirement to demonstrate knowledge of the patent system, serves as a deterrent for prospective participants;
the degree to which prospective inventors are aware of the patent pro bono programs;
what factors, if any, deter attorneys from participating in the patent pro bono programs;
whether the patent pro bono programs would be improved by expanding those programs to include non-attorney advocates; and
any other issue the Director determines appropriate; and
make recommendations for such administrative and legislative action as may be appropriate.
Use of Results.— Upon completion of the study required under subsection (a), the Director shall work with the Pro Bono Advisory Council, the operators of the patent pro bono programs, and intellectual property law associations across the United States to update the patent pro bono programs in response to the findings of the study.
Expansion of Income Eligibility.—
In general.— The Director shall work with and support, including by providing financial support to, existing patent pro bono programs and intellectual property law associations across the United States to expand eligibility for the patent pro bono programs to an individual living in a household, the gross household income of which is not more than 400 percent of the Federal poverty line.
Rule of construction.— Nothing in paragraph (1) may be construed to prevent a patent pro bono program from electing to establish a higher eligibility level, as compared to the level described in that paragraph.
SEC. 106. Pre-Prosecution Assessment Pilot Program.
Pilot Program.— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall establish a pilot program to assist first-time prospective patent applicants in assessing the strengths and weaknesses of a potential patent application submitted by such a prospective applicant.
Considerations.— In developing the pilot program required under subsection (a), the Director shall establish—
a notification process to notify a prospective patent applicant seeking an assessment described in that subsection that any assessment so provided may not be considered an official ruling of patentability from the Office;
conditions to determine eligibility for the pilot program, taking into consideration available resources;
reasonable limitations on the amount of time to be spent providing assistance to each individual first-time prospective patent applicant;
procedures for referring prospective patent applicants to legal counsel, including through the patent pro bono programs; and
procedures to protect the confidentiality of the information disclosed by prospective patent applicants.
SEC. 107. Fee Reduction for Small and Micro Entities.
in paragraph (1), by striking “ 50 percent” and inserting “ 60 percent”; and
in paragraph (3), by striking “ 75 percent” and inserting “ 80 percent”.
False Certifications.— Title 35, United States Code, is amended—
in section 41, by adding at the end the following:
“(j) Penalty for False Assertions.—In addition to any other penalty available under law, an entity that is found to have falsely asserted entitlement to a fee reduction under this section shall be subject to a fine, to be determined by the Director, the amount of which shall be not less than 3 times the amount that the entity failed to pay as a result of the false assertion, whether the Director discovers the false assertion before or after the date on which a patent has been issued.”
; and
in section 123, by adding at the end the following:
“(f) Penalty for False Certifications.—In addition to any other penalty available under law, an entity that is found to have falsely made a certification under this section shall be subject to a fine, to be determined by the Director, the amount of which shall be not less than 3 times the amount that the entity failed to pay as a result of the false certification, whether the Director discovers the false certification before or after the date on which a patent has been issued.”
Leahy-Smith America Invents Act.— Section 10(b) of the Leahy Smith America Invents Act (35 U.S.C. 41 note) is amended—
by striking “ 50 percent” and inserting “ 60 percent”; and
by striking “ 75 percent” and inserting “ 80 percent”.
Study on Fees.—
In general.— Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall—
complete a study of the fees charged by the Office; and
submit the results of the study required under subparagraph (A) to the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives.
Scope of study.— The study required under paragraph (1)(A) shall—
assess whether—
fees for small and micro entities are inhibiting the filing of patent applications by those entities;
fees for examination should approximately match the costs of examination and what incentives are created by using maintenance fees to cover the costs of examination; and
the results of the assessments performed under clauses (i) and (ii) counsel in favor of changes to the fee structure of the Office, such as—
raising standard application and examination fees;
reducing standard maintenance fees; and
reducing the fees for small and micro entities as a percentage of standard application fees; and
make recommendations for such administrative and legislative action as may be appropriate.