KQED Public Radio
- 5:00am Morning Edition
- 7:00am Morning Edition
Weather/Traffic
News & Public Affairs Programs on KQED
KQED e-Newsletters
Get regular updates on great programs and events
More from KQED
Economy
Commerce Secretary Talks Up New Patent Office in San Jose Visit
Enlarge
Aarti Shahani
Acting U.S. Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank says San Jose patent office will improve process. San Jose State University President Mohammad Qayoumi is himself a patent holder.
Silicon Valley's new patent office will be a boon for local innovators and will be a job creator, too. That was part of the message from acting U.S. Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank who visited San Jose State University Wednesday.
The Valley's new patent office will open before the end of next year and Blank said it will employ at least a hundred people. She said key hires will be experts in intellectual property.
"So it does expand our expertise and, I think, will give us deeper quality in dealing with patent disputes as a result of that."
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, based in Alexandria, Virginia is opening satellite offices for the first time in its history. A patent office will open in Detroit on Friday. Dallas and Denver will get offices in the next year or so.
