Patent offices are interesting places, at least I think so. I had the pleasure of visiting the main patent office a few times. And it’s a trip – but one that had you traveling to Virginia. Well that’s about to change. The USPTO is now opening four new regional USPTO offices in or around Dallas, Texas, Denver, Colorado, and Silicon Valley, California. And they have a satellite office due to open on July 13, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan.

What does this mean if you live near one of these offices. Jobs for one thing. Especially if you have an engineering degree. “By expanding our operation outside of the Washington metropolitan area for the first time in our agency’s 200-plus year history, we are taking unprecedented steps to recruit a diverse range of talented technical experts, creating new opportunities across the American workforce,” said David Kappos, Director of the USPTO.

I expect the new regional offices will provide lots of outreach services similar to the main office, where you can attend a patent clinic for free, get help cutting any red tape, and a whole lot of events that both educate and inspire.