Breaking News! The USPTO has a backlog of more than 900,000 trademarks

It is learned that the USPTO has a backlog of more than 900,000 trademarks, and the registration agency is facing huge challenges.

According to the report, the USPTO has seen a significant increase in trademark applications, mainly from China. In the fourth quarter of 2020, 38.47% of the trademark applications received by the USPTO came from China.

It is reported that after the registry received a large increase in new applications, David Gooder, commissioner of the USPTO, promised to improve efficiency to solve the backlog problem. Ken Boone, a former USPTO IT expert, said that the sharp increase from nearly 600,000 to 900,560 in recent days was a "milestone that no one wanted."

Tim Ackermann, trademark attorney and founder of The Ackermann Law Firm, said: "Most trademark applications take more than six months to be assigned to an examining attorney. Foreign applicants should understand the relevant publication approval time before applying."

The USPTO is feeling frustrated by the massive increase in its trademark backlog.

A former USPTO examiner revealed: "Low morale is a big problem for PTO examiners. The USPTO must address three important issues: coping with the logistical challenges caused by the COVID-19 restrictions, continuing delays in processing the influx of trademark applications, and maintaining or improving employee morale."

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office won’t be celebrating reaching the 900,000 trademark application backlog milestone for the first time, it just hopes the number of trademark applications doesn’t continue to accelerate.

Editor ✎ Nicole/

Disclaimer: This article is copyrighted and may not be reproduced without permission.