USPTO

The world’s biggest soccer match features IP protection for one of the world’s most recognizable trophies. 🏆⚽ As fans around the globe tune in for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final, they’re also seeing intellectual property in action. The iconic FIFA World Cup Trophy is protected by federally registered trademarks owned by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), including U.S. Registration No. 1,420,790 for the trophy’s distinctive shape. Register your trademark if your “GOOOAAAL” is to help protect the names, images, likenesses, logos, and symbols that fans instantly recognize on and off the field. ⚽🏆

Patent examiner interview practice is alive and well . . . and encouraged. During the USPTO Hour webinar this week, USPTO Deputy Commissioner Barry Schindler, Acting Deputy Commissioner Dave Wiley, and Technology Center Director Tariq Hafiz discussed interview practice between patent applicants and examiners. Deputy Commissioner Schindler explained, “There's this misnomer that interviews are now disfavored, and it's absolutely incorrect.” They offered several key takeaways to instead maximize interviews as a way to secure patent grants:  Interviews are an effective way to advance prosecution, and recent changes in examiner crediting do not preclude them.  To support an interview request, an applicant should, as a best practice, provide an agenda so that the examiner can come prepared.  If an applicant believes that an interview request is wrongly denied, an applicant may contact a supervisory patent examiner and should explain whether the previous interview was substantive in nature, whether the current interview request furthers prosecution, and the level of examiner involvement to prepare and participate in a requested interview.  Examiners are permitted to have second interviews with supervisory approval. For more information about interview practice, check out the USPTO Hour webpage: https://bit.ly/4bqit3f

Advance U.S. innovation on the global stage from Abu Dhabi. The USPTO is seeking an intellectual property (IP) attaché to support U.S. businesses and promote strong IP systems abroad. In this role, you will work across law, policy, and commerce — advising on IP protection, enforcement, use, and licensing while collaborating with government officials, industry leaders, and other stakeholders. If you’re an experienced IP professional ready for impactful international work, consider bringing your expertise to the USPTO. Apply now: https://bit.ly/4eNB1wE

What advice did the IP lawyer give to the coach? Trade Mark. When it comes to brands, sporting organizations are powerhouses on and off the field, court, or pitch. Let’s check out our starting lineup of iconic sports and recreation trademarks: 🏈 The National Football League (NFL), was founded in 1920 in Canton, Ohio, eventually evolving into the most-watched professional sports league in the United States. 🏀 Founded in 1946, the National Basketball Association (NBA)’s logo, featuring a silhouetted player dribbling a basketball, was designed in 1969 and is widely believed to be modeled after the silhouette of Hall of Famer Jerry West. ⚾ Although pro baseball leagues date back to the 1870s, Major League Baseball (MLB) traces its origins to 1903, when the National and American Leagues agreed to operate as a single entity. 🏒 The National Hockey League (NHL) was founded in 1917 in Montreal, Canada, and the iconic Stanley Cup, awarded annually during the NHL’s championship tournament, is the oldest pro sports trophy in North America. ⚽ Marking an increase in the sport’s popularity in the U.S., Major League Soccer (MLS) launched in 1996 following the United States’ successful bid to host the 1994 FIFA World Cup. ⛹🏾♂️ The phrase “March Madness” was first used in reference to Illinois high school basketball in 1939, but it became synonymous with the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament after a CBS broadcaster popularized it in 1982. 🧢 The Louisville Slugger bat traces its origins to 1884, when seventeen-year-old Bud Hillerich crafted a custom bat for Louisville Eclipse player Pete Browning at his father’s woodworking shop in Louisville, Kentucky. 🏓 John Jacques & Son first registered a trademark for the name Ping-Pong in 1901, commercializing a table-top version of tennis that used paddles. The sport's governing bodies adopted the generic term "table tennis" to avoid trademark infringement. Next time you tune in to root for the home team, see how many trademarks you can spot!

The action isn’t over yet! ⚽ If you’re visiting the @FIFA World Cup 2026 Fan Zone on the National Mall, stop by the USPTO booth to learn how intellectual property can help protect your personal brand. Whether you’re an athlete, creator, entrepreneur, or fan, our team is sharing resources on protecting your name, image, and likeness (NIL), as well as navigating trademarks and the evolving legal landscape of brand protection. 📍 National Mall, Washington, D.C. 📅 Through July 19 Your brand is worth protecting. Stop by and discover how IP helps power the future of sports. For more information, visit: https://bit.ly/4xYMcKb

The USPTO is transitioning outbound international trademark filings from the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) to the Madrid e Filing system (Madrid e-Filing). Beginning October 1, 2026, Madrid e-Filing will be the sole platform for filing initial international trademark applications based on U.S. applications and registrations. Between July 31 and September 30, applicants may continue to file international applications through TEAS or start using Madrid e-Filing on July 31. Madrid e-Filing is the secure filing platform operated by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and used by intellectual property offices in more than 40 countries. To use Madrid e-Filing, applicants must create a WIPO account. For more information about the transition, visit the Federal Register Notice: https://bit.ly/4f0alZA

Take your IP law career global in Istanbul, Türkiye. The USPTO is hiring an intellectual property (IP) attaché to help advance U.S. IP policy, interests, and initiatives abroad. In this role, an experienced IP attorney will engage with government counterparts, industry leaders, and innovators while navigating complex international IP issues. If you’re interested in public service, international collaboration, travel, and meaningful work, this opportunity may be the right fit. Learn more and apply: https://bit.ly/4vizTWS

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream IP! 🍨 July is #NationalIceCreamMonth, which makes it the perfect time to celebrate the inventor behind the tool that serves the sweet treat. 🍦 While working as a hotel porter in Pittsburgh, Alfred L. Cralle saw how difficult it was to serve ice cream. It stuck to spoons, making it slow and messy to dish out. He set out to solve the problem with a tool that could scoop and release ice cream using just one hand. In 1897, Cralle received U.S. Patent No. 576,395 for his invention, which he called the “Ice-Cream Mold and Disher.” His design included a built-in scraper that easily released the ice cream from the scoop, helping servers work quickly and efficiently. Cralle received local recognition for his invention, and he was included on patent examiner Henry E. Baker’s list of African American patent holders throughout U.S. history. Cralle’s invention is the precursor to the modern ice cream scoops we use today and, more than 125 years later, you can find the product of his ingenuity in homes and ice cream shops across the country.

Today, America’s Innovation Agency is launching an International Patent Assignment Initiative to simplify and modernize the administration of cross-border patent ownership and assignments. This initiative reflects the United States' continuing commitment to modernization of the world's intellectual property infrastructure for innovators, businesses, universities, investors, and IP offices. It follows from the USPTO’s recent visit to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Assemblies in Geneva and the appointment of Laura Peter as Deputy Director General for Patents and Technology. During the WIPO Assemblies, USPTO Director John A. Squires called upon all member states to support modernization of the WIPO's filing and registration systems "with the urgency of now," emphasizing that applicants should not have to wait years for improvements to the administrative infrastructure supporting the global IP system. The United States also reaffirmed that modernization efforts should strengthen—not reopen—the highly successful Patent Cooperation Treaty while improving the experience of applicants managing increasingly complex international patent portfolios. The Initiative will be supported by a USPTO cross functional “tiger team” made up of legal experts, information technology specialists, and international advisors. They will find areas for improving efficiencies, interoperability, security, and user experience while engaging with industry, academia, technology companies, and partner IP offices. As Director Squires explained, "The global innovation economy has evolved dramatically. The administrative infrastructure supporting international patent ownership and recordation should evolve with it.” This Initiative redoubles the USPTO’s commitment to that evolution.

“Step right up, get your Ferris wheel tickets here!” “Cotton candy, corn dogs, funnel cakes!” “There’s no time like fair time!” Every state fair has a different origin story. South Carolina held fairs in the 19840s to showcase the agricultural economy, and Vermont and Georgia held their first fairs in 1846, taking advantage of the expanding network of railroads, canals, and roads. Michigan followed in 1849, Ohio in 1850, Iowa in 1854, and Minnesota in 1859, all as places of profound cultural influence. This year, with the 250th birthday celebration of the founding of our great nation, the Great American State Fair ran from June 25 to July 10. The fifty states were represented; agriculture and technology were there too. The USPTO displayed an exhibit in the America Innovates Pavilion featuring an interactive wall of famous patented inventions and registered trademarks along with a short documentary, called “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Innovation,” to show the important role that patents and trademarks have played in our development of our nation. Intellectual property is enshrined in the Constitution and underlies the America dream. Over 40,000 people visited America’s Innovation Agency’s display. The engagement of all who visited, was just a sense of wonder, a sense of awe, a sense of anything is possible, and ultimately a sense of enormous pride in our country. American ingenuity became tethered directly to our freedoms and prosperity as a Nation in a way that was indelible, remarkable, and inspirational. The spirit of innovation IS the spirit of America. We thank all who attended, supported and made our display possible. We hope you made memories of a lifetime.