patent expiries now in USPTO PAIR

(I am not sure exactly when this changed, and my apologies if it has
already been reported in PIUG.)

USPTO's PAIR system now lists patent expiries. Not all expiries, but
those that are due to failure to pay maintenance fees.

For example, look up patent number 5844661 in
http://portal.uspto.gov/external/portal/ .

It now has a status of "Patent Expired Due to Non-Payment of Maintenance
Fees Under 37 CFR 1.362"

It says the status date is January 2, 2003, but as recently as a month
ago there was no mention in PAIR of the patent expiry for this patent.

Patents can, of course, expire in other ways. If a patent is subject to
a terminal disclaimer relative to a previous patent, and if they cease
to be commonly owned, for example.

Received on Sat Jan 01 2005 - 22:04:20