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Hi, I was wondering if anyone has any experience/knowledge with the subset of majors eligible for the Patent Bar.

For ex., on the USPTO site they post Computer Science as one of the majors eligible for the patent bar but when I check the ABET site, they only list Computer Science & Engineering for accredited programs and not the standalone Computer Science degree (in addition to all the other engineering majors eligible like EE/ME/Enviro Eng/etc.)

What is your degree and where did you get it?

If you check the GRB you'll see what the USPTO wants from Comp Sci people

http://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/OED_GRB.pdf

If your degree is ABET accredited, you'll be approved. If not, did you study computer architecture, operating systems, circuitry, software engineering, data structure and algs? Those are the engineering relevant areas important to the PTO as outlined in the GRB.

skri65 wrote:What is your degree and where did you get it?

Informatics (subset of Computer Science, in the Computer Science School) from a school ranked in a top 50 USNWR school

Bluem_11 wrote:If you check the GRB you'll see what the USPTO wants from Comp Sci people

http://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/OED_GRB.pdf

If your degree is ABET accredited, you'll be approved. If not, did you study computer architecture, operating systems, circuitry, software engineering, data structure and algs? Those are the engineering relevant areas important to the PTO as outlined in the GRB.

Yeah that's the manual I was referencing but that doc and the ABET link are pretty confusing.
In my program, I didn't really cover architecture/os/circuitry as much since those topics fall more under CSE/engineering but the USPTO lists plain computer science as one of the acceptable majors.

When I check the ABET site, I can't find the pure Computer Science major approved (hell, even Stanford's Computer Science major isn't on there) which leads me to ask if anyone has more experience with this topic here

candidlatke wrote:

skri65 wrote:What is your degree and where did you get it?

Informatics (subset of Computer Science, in the Computer Science School) from a school ranked in a top 50 USNWR school

Bluem_11 wrote:If you check the GRB you'll see what the USPTO wants from Comp Sci people

http://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/OED_GRB.pdf

If your degree is ABET accredited, you'll be approved. If not, did you study computer architecture, operating systems, circuitry, software engineering, data structure and algs? Those are the engineering relevant areas important to the PTO as outlined in the GRB.

Yeah that's the manual I was referencing but that doc and the ABET link are pretty confusing.
In my program, I didn't really cover architecture/os/circuitry as much since those topics fall more under CSE/engineering but the USPTO lists plain computer science as one of the acceptable majors.

When I check the ABET site, I can't find the pure Computer Science major approved (hell, even Stanford's Computer Science major isn't on there) which leads me to ask if anyone has more experience with this topic here

Stanford's program isn't accredited, they pretty much don't care since it costs money and a change in curriculum and they're fucking Stanford.

If you don't have an ABET accredited BS in Comp Sci, you won't be patent bar eligible through Category A, you have to go in through Category B, which if you read the GRB, will discuss most of the core classes I mentioned that are needed plus 8 hours of general physics or chemistry.

Bluem_11 wrote:

candidlatke wrote:...

Stanford's program isn't accredited, they pretty much don't care since it costs money and a change in curriculum and they're fucking Stanford.

If you don't have an ABET accredited BS in Comp Sci, you won't be patent bar eligible through Category A, you have to go in through Category B, which if you read the GRB, will discuss most of the core classes I mentioned that are needed plus 8 hours of general physics or chemistry.

got it, thank you for that clarification!

Related question - anyone know if a B.S. in Computer Science & Engineering would be treated like Computer Science (requiring proof of ABET accreditation), or like Computer Engineering (no accreditation requirements)? My undergrad school changed the names of some of their computer-related degrees in the years preceding my graduation, so it's not entirely clear whether my degree was accredited when I received it or not.

Also, if you're trying to qualify under Category B, courses you took toward a master's degree count too, right?

ScottRiqui wrote:Related question - anyone know if a B.S. in Computer Science & Engineering would be treated like Computer Science (requiring proof of ABET accreditation), or like Computer Engineering (no accreditation requirements)? My undergrad school changed the names of some of their computer-related degrees in the years preceding my graduation, so it's not entirely clear whether my degree was accredited when I received it or not.

Also, if you're trying to qualify under Category B, courses you took toward a master's degree count too, right?

The PTO is concerned if you have the required technical training to prosecute patents. If you took some of the above mentioned courses I mentioned through your studies....OS, physics, logic circuitry, architecture, algorithms etc. you should be fine.

All your answers are in the GRB linked above including the graduate degree issue.

Bluem_11 wrote:
The PTO is concerned if you have the required technical training to prosecute patents. If you took some of the above mentioned courses I mentioned through your studies....OS, physics, logic circuitry, architecture, algorithms etc. you should be fine.

I realize that, and I'm sure I've taken enough qualifying courses. The reason I was asking whether CS&E would be treated as "Computer Science" or "Computer Engineering" is that if it's treated as Computer Engineering, I simply have to send in my transcripts. If it's treated as Computer Science (and if I can't prove definitively that my degree was ABET-accredited at the time), or if it's not treated as either CS or CE, then I have to track down my university's course catalogs and degree requirements from the late 80s and early 90s and submit all of that as well.

tl;dr - I'm sure I'm eligible, I'm just wondering how much of a red-ass it's going to be to prove it.

ScottRiqui wrote:

Bluem_11 wrote:
The PTO is concerned if you have the required technical training to prosecute patents. If you took some of the above mentioned courses I mentioned through your studies....OS, physics, logic circuitry, architecture, algorithms etc. you should be fine.

I realize that, and I'm sure I've taken enough qualifying courses. The reason I was asking whether CS&E would be treated as "Computer Science" or "Computer Engineering" is that if it's treated as Computer Engineering, I simply have to send in my transcripts. If it's treated as Computer Science (and if I can't prove definitively that my degree was ABET-accredited at the time), or if it's not treated as either CS or CE, then I have to track down my university's course catalogs and degree requirements from the late 80s and early 90s and submit all of that as well.

tl;dr - I'm sure I'm eligible, I'm just wondering how much of a red-ass it's going to be to prove it.

I would just contact your school and ask them if whatever degree you got was an ABET accredited program at the time, and request some sort of documentation if possible. Then your butt is cleared no matter what. The time issue there is obviously a slightly unique problem for your circumstances.

Have you been working at all in the field since then? You can also submit work experience in relevant engineering field as proof to the PTO if for whatever reason there was an issue.

Just to be safe, you should probably send the course catalog pages you'd need to qualify under Category B. In most cases, the course catalogs are now on the Web, so it's just an afternoon spent printing out the correct pages. (Call your colleges' registrars or bursars offices...whoever handles that at your institution...to find out whether and where the catalogs are on the Web.) If you apply only under Category A, and they decide you're only qualified under Category B, if at all, you'll have to do that work anyway, and your timing to take the Exam will be thrown off.
Mark Dighton, Esq.
Admin. Director, Patent Office Exam Course
PLI

markdighton wrote:Just to be safe, you should probably send the course catalog pages you'd need to qualify under Category B. In most cases, the course catalogs are now on the Web, so it's just an afternoon spent printing out the correct pages. (Call your colleges' registrars or bursars offices...whoever handles that at your institution...to find out whether and where the catalogs are on the Web.) If you apply only under Category A, and they decide you're only qualified under Category B, if at all, you'll have to do that work anyway, and your timing to take the Exam will be thrown off.
Mark Dighton, Esq.
Admin. Director, Patent Office Exam Course
PLI

Thanks - that's how I'm leaning, too. Even getting the ABET stuff sorted out won't matter if CS&E isn't a category A degree. The online catalogs for my undergrad only go back to 1999, but fortunately I'm in the same city as the university for the summer, so I'll just go by the registrar's office and make copies of everything once my internship's over.

HI I am planning to take the patent bar next month. I would like if I can find a study partner for the exam. I live in DC area. online study partner would be good too. Let me know if anyone is planning to take it.

Thanks,

Anybody know whether a BA in one of the Patent Bar eligible science degrees is sufficient? I double majored and couldn't squeeze the last few lab classes I need for a BS cause I was lazy with registering for classes D=

PeanutsNJam wrote:Anybody know whether a BA in one of the Patent Bar eligible science degrees is sufficient? I double majored and couldn't squeeze the last few lab classes I need for a BS cause I was lazy with registering for classes D=

You can qualify under either category A or B. If you have taken enough classes, you can always qualify via option B.

PeanutsNJam wrote:Anybody know whether a BA in one of the Patent Bar eligible science degrees is sufficient? I double majored and couldn't squeeze the last few lab classes I need for a BS cause I was lazy with registering for classes D=

I have a BA in chemistry-biochemistry because WUSTL doesn't award BS degrees in the college of A/S, and I'm taking the exam tomorrow. Hope that helps.

Edit: Category A, like the poster above me clarified. No fancy paperwork required.

Note on the BS v. BA topic: Top employers want to see a BS. Those extra lab credits SUCK but they do matter. All of my IP related interviews have asked to have my undergrad transcript so they can see my coursework