Unpredictable inventions

摘要

Although the U.S. Patent and TrademarknOffice (PTO) has seven technology cen-nters—ranging from biotechnology to chem-nistry to materials engineering—none isnspecifically dedicated to nanotechnology.nIn the past three years, the number of nano-ntechnology-related patent applications hasnmushroomed to several thousandnper year, up from several hun-ndred six years ago. For now, thenPTO processes nanotechnologynpatent applications through itsnexisting examining groups.