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(Message started by: Joseph on Feb 8th, 2007, 12:39pm)
Title: CS degree AND Category B
Post by Joseph on Feb 8th, 2007, 12:39pm
I have a question about my patent bar eligibility, and hopefully someone here can help me out.

I graduated from undergrad with a major in computer science in 1999.  At the time, the school was accredited by the CSAB, but it lost its accreditation in 2004.  According to the USPTO, am I still qualified to take the patent bar, despite the fact that my school lost its accreditation AFTER I graduated?

If not, am I qualified to under Category B?  I have 8 hours of chemistry and 30 hours of foundational computer science courses and 4 hours of biology.  All these courses were intended for science/engineering majors.  Under the additional coursework section, it appears that I can count all of my computer science courswork for category B, but I'm unsure (the previous sentence refers to a max of 4 hours regarding design engineering and drafting).  

Does anyone know how I fit in this situation?
Title: Re: CS degree AND Category B
Post by Wiscagent on Feb 9th, 2007, 7:57am
Contact the USPTO's OED.  Only their opinion matters.
Title: Re: CS degree AND Category B
Post by KB on Feb 9th, 2007, 9:23am
You should be fine on either front.  Since your school was accredited "on or before" the date you graduated, that should suffice, I'd think (what's good for the goose should be good for the gander -- my school was accredited shortly after I graduated, and that wasn't good enough).

But as a fallback, your category B case sounds good, provided your CS courses match the type listed in the Bulletin, and you have 2 more science hours somewhere (you need 40 total).  I think what they mean by "design engineering" and "drafting" are things like CAD, or courses that teach you how to put concepts onto paper/computer, but don't necessarily go deeply into the underlying concepts themselves.

But, as the last reply says, it's best to call the OED

KB
Title: Re: CS degree AND Category B
Post by Joseph on Feb 9th, 2007, 11:55am

on 02/09/07 at 09:23:29, KB wrote:
You should be fine on either front.  Since your school was accredited "on or before" the date you graduated, that should suffice, I'd think (what's good for the goose should be good for the gander -- my school was accredited shortly after I graduated, and that wasn't good enough).

But as a fallback, your category B case sounds good, provided your CS courses match the type listed in the Bulletin, and you have 2 more science hours somewhere (you need 40 total).  I think what they mean by "design engineering" and "drafting" are things like CAD, or courses that teach you how to put concepts onto paper/computer, but don't necessarily go deeply into the underlying concepts themselves.

But, as the last reply says, it's best to call the OED

KB


Thanks, this is what the initial reading of their requirements seems to indicate.  Luckily for me, I also have 4 hours of biology, to fill out my 40 hour requirment.  But yeah, I plan on calling them just to make sure.
Title: Re: CS degree AND Category B
Post by biopico on Feb 9th, 2007, 1:56pm
If you call OED, it is likely to hear that "you know what, to know for sure, why don't you submit your application so that we can evaluate your qualification better?



on 02/09/07 at 11:55:08, Joseph wrote:
Thanks, this is what the initial reading of their requirements seems to indicate.  Luckily for me, I also have 4 hours of biology, to fill out my 40 hour requirment.  But yeah, I plan on calling them just to make sure.


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