By Dennis Crouch
My Upcoming Patent Events: Earlier this week I spoke at the 51st Annual Conference on Intellectual Property at the Center for American and International Law in Plano. My topic was on functional patent claims and the historic cycle of attacks on that claim type followed by novel approaches and work-arounds by patent applicants. In a few weeks from now, Bart Starr and I will be leading a discussion at the annual meeting of state Attorneys General (NAAG) on the topic egregious patent licensing behavior. AGs are looking for ways they can use the consumer protection laws in this arena. In the program, we are in the difficult position of speaking immediately following Kevin Costner. In January, I'll join the Association of Corporate Patent Counsel at their 2014 Winter Meeting and then in February I will be down in Naples at an interesting gathering put together by Hal Wegner and Judge Linn and sponsored by the University of Akron School of Law titled the Naples Midwinter Patent Experts Conference. Faculty for the Naples conference include Judge Linn, Judge Kathleen O'Malley, PTO Director Terry Rea, former PTO Deputy Sharon Barner, Former Commissioner, Robert Stoll, PTAB Chair James Smith, and Bob Armitage. A number of us law professors will be there as well, including Tim Holbrook (Emory), Timo Minnsen (Copenhagen), Christal Sheppard (Nebraska), Dennis Crouch (MU), Jason Rantanen (Iowa), W. Keith Robinson (SMU), William Hubbard (Baltimore) and Dr. Heinz Goddar. Register for the Naples event here http://www.uakron.edu/law/ip/naples-midwinter.dot or by calling conference coordinator Shannon Aupperle at (330) 972-7988.