IPWatchdog reports that USPTO Director John Squires has told administrative patent judges on the Patent Trial and Appeal Board that he will relinquish oversight of the board. The report is based on people familiar with agency operations and does not specify when the change would take effect.
The PTAB handles challenges to issued patents, and the director's oversight role has been an important part of how the board operates. The report frames the decision as a pivot that raises questions about who will control the board and how its relationship with the director's office will work going forward.
Because only one source is available, there is no second account to compare for agreement or disagreement. The internal notification described by IPWatchdog has not been independently confirmed.