VIRGINIA - The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced creating a new group to expand the agency's efforts to mitigate threats and protect the integrity of the US patent system, a press release stated by USPTO.

The USPTO’s Patent Fraud Detection and Mitigation Working Group represents the agency’s continued commitment to limit improper activity in patent applications and reexamination proceedings at USPTO and reduce patent application pendency. As patent threats continue to evolve, the working group will focus on:

• Addressing erroneous micro entity and small entity fee certifications and assertions
• Monitoring suspicious filings
• Identifying and reviewing potential misrepresentations to the USPTO, including false signatures, and when appropriate using the administrative sanctions process to address these misrepresentations

The agency has also launched a new webpage providing a dedicated, centralized source to inform the public of new and potential threats in patent applications and reexamination proceedings. The USPTO will also share data related to the USPTO’s mitigation efforts.