Vic Lin

What is an AFCP request? The After Final Consideration Pilot (AFCP) Program 2.0 is a continuing effort by the USPTO to streamline responses to Final…

What are your options for responding to a Final Office Action? When faced with a final rejection, a patent applicant has a couple of options in…

What do we need to file your utility nonprovisional patent application? New to utility patents? This is a good place to start. I want to…

USPTO Trademark Application Process: What are the most important factors? When it comes to registering trademarks, there is a tradeoff between time and money. The…

Must inventions made in the USA be filed first with the USPTO? Except when permission is granted, a patent application for an invention made in the…

Does a continuing application require an IDS disclosing prior art references already considered in the parent application? No.  According to MPEP Section 609.02, it is…

How do we identify the risk of your trademark being rejected for being too similar? A trademark knockout search generally refers to a pre-filing search…

What is a trademark specimen of use? In nearly all cases, a trademark must be tied to a particular product or service. Trademarks do not…

When is the nonprovisional deadline? The 1-year anniversary of a US provisional patent application or a foreign priority application may occasionally fall on a non-business…

What is a patent Office Action? After waiting one to two years (or longer) from the filing date of your utility nonprovisional patent application, you…

Is a Power of Attorney required to file a patent Office Action response? No, a power of attorney need not be filed in order to…

What is an Information Disclosure Statement (IDS)? Every patent applicant has a duty to disclose to the USPTO all known prior art or other information…