Embarking on a New Adventure: Open Data at the US Patent and Trademark Office

Few things are more exciting than arriving at an unknown platform for the first time. Whether it's Grand Central Station, Roma Termini, or the metro in Moscow, the idea that unknown possibilities are within reach is thrilling. The blur of hurried strangers, the unfamiliar sounds of travel information constantly refreshed, and the myriad of signs offering directions in foreign languages spark limitless ideas, a fair amount of confusion, and a quest to move forward. In the best case scenario, you have already done your research, talked to your friends, and read the travel brochures and guidebooks so you have a vague idea of what you are about to set off and do. But there is nothing like that feeling on that platform as you embark on your adventure.

When the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office heard President Obama's call to provide the public with transparency and open government, I wasn't exactly sure how one of the country's oldest federal agencies would be able to respond. I challenged a small internal team to act like a "start-up" and develop some new ideas on how to use the vast reserves of data the USPTO gathers to help solve some of the agency's age old challenges. They built a platform to dive into what very well may be the world's largest repository of data on innovation and research and development technology trends. The unveiling of the USPTO's new Open Data and Mobility Program offers a new platform in an ecological way to discover, explore, and innovate.

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