Dan Hegner and Charlie Bieneman of Bejin Bieneman PLC will talk about recent developments in U.S. patent law that affect how we prepare and prosecute applications for inventions with functional elements. The talk will focus on the test governing subject matter eligibility under 35 U.S.C. 101, as well as how to support functional claim limitations to meet the written description and enablement requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112. There is a lot to talk about. Cases in the last year have refined, if not outright changed, the requirements for showing subject matter eligibility, and the USPTO recently promulgated new examination guidelines for both 101 and 112.
Charles Bieneman’s practice focuses on patent prosecution, counseling, and opinions for clients in a variety of industries, including automotive, telecommunications, and aerospace. Prior to forming Bejin Bieneman, Charles was a partner in a Michigan intellectual property firm. Previously, he was a patent examiner with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office, where he examined claim inventions in the areas of computer software, databases, and the World Wide Web. He also held management positions with two computer software companies and has significant real world experience as a software developer, consultant, and project manager. Charles also gained experience as an attorney with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Washington, D.C. office of a national law firm.
Dan Hegner is an intellectual property law attorney specializing in preparing and prosecuting U.S. and foreign patent applications in the electrical, mechanical, and software arts. In addition, Dan provides a variety of other services, including preparing and prosecuting federal trademark applications and advising clients on patent and trademark portfolio development and management. His technical expertise includes experience in the fields of automotive connectivity and safety systems, situational awareness and autonomous vehicle control, vehicle fuel systems, mobile telecommunications, light and optical devices, small engine carburetors, and defense industry special projects.
