USPTO — Local services in Alexandria

The USPTO’s decisions don’t just affect inventors, they impact millions of consumers too. Recently, a very broad and decades old gameplay mechanic (summoning creatures to fight for you) was granted as a patent request by Nintendo. This mechanic has been used in countless games for over 30 years, and now one company can control who is allowed to use it. That doesn’t just limit innovation it threatens the freedom of developers and players across the industry.

As a gamer, I’m directly affected because titles I play, like Helldivers 2, could be restricted in the future. The patent system should protect true innovation, not hand out monopolies on basic, long established ideas. The USPTO needs to take more responsibility for how these decisions ripple into entertainment, creativity, and...

They had a great little museum of inventions that was surprisingly fun to visit. It's not very big but it's very well kept and up to date. They have a display with inventor's Hall of Fame inductees which was interesting and then behind that a bunch of interactive displays about being innovative and the importance of patents and trademarks. It is a little bit biased in favor of the patents and trademarks but what else would you expect from a museum made by the patent office. Overall I thought it was worth the visit; it was a nice hidden treasure. You probably only need 1-2 hours to go through the...

I am a registered inventor with the United States patent and trademark office. The title of my invention was a system and method for distributed imperative products and services. Very important to our country and small business. Why is it important? Without the United States Patent & Trademark Office people's years of arduous research and development can be stolen without recourse. This department helps foster innovation. It nurtures advancements and utility in the Sciences. It gives people a reason to invest into research and development for a better way...