Fourth Quarter 2011 Rochester Patent Index Released

ROCHESTER, NY (01/11/2012)(readMedia)-- Hoffman Warnick LLC (HW), an intellectual property law firm with offices in Albany, Rochester, and Boston has released the Rochester Patent Index for Fourth Quarter 2011. The "Rochester Patent Index" includes both (1) patent issuances and (2) patent applications filed for Monroe and Ontario Counties with and without XEROX and KODAK.

From a quarterly perspective, the number of patent issuances decreased in the fourth quarter of 2011 as compared to the previous quarter, while the number of new patent applications filed increased. This was the case across the board, i.e., with and without Kodak/Xerox. Carl Ruoff of Hoffman Warnick's Rochester office states, "Issuances generally reflect company R&D investment from a few years ago, while new application filings reflect more current R&D investment. The increase in application filings may suggest an improvement in local companies' economic situations and outlooks over the previous quarter, though it is common to see an uptick in application filings in the fourth quarter."

From an annual perspective, application filings overall held steady until a dip in Q3 and a resurgence in Q4. Issuances overall declined until Q3, then declined again in Q4. Comparing Q4 2011 to Q4 2010, fewer patents issued and fewer applications were filed overall in Q4 2011, but when the activity of Kodak and Xerox is removed, application filings actually saw an increase. According to David Henn, also of Hoffman Warnick's Rochester office, "The increase in application filings by companies other than Kodak and Xerox may indicate that the Rochester Area economy is enjoying some growth in smaller technology companies. Consider, for example, Henrietta-based Vuzix, a leader in augmented reality (AR) technology. Vuzix develops and produces head-mounted displays ranging from relatively simple movie screen glasses to military AR sets that combine tactical information with enhanced displays of surroundings. This year, demonstrating the innovation of area inventors, Vuzix received U.S. Patent No. 7,901,072, which applies their technology to assist people suffering from various visual impairments, including macular degeneration and retinopathy."

To obtain a pdf of this quarter's Patent Index, please e-mail hwemail@hoffmanwarnick.com or visit www.hoffmanwarnick.com.

About Hoffman Warnick LLC: Hoffman Warnick LLC is an intellectual property law firm focusing on biotechnology, nanotechnology, computers and software, electrical, mechanical, chemical, and materials engineering. Hoffman Warnick is committed to providing the highest quality services including: domestic and international property rights procurement, dispute resolution, and licensing.