What is a PCT prior art search report (written opinion)?
What is a PCT prior art search report? Patent examiners review PCT applications in the same way that the USPTO examines utility nonprovisional patent applications.…
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Why Does An Earlier Trademark Filing Date Matter?
Why does an early trademark filing date matter? Why would it matter to be the first to file your trademark application with the USPTO? US…
What is a word mark?
How should you file your trademark application? A word mark refers to the type of trademark that can be registered without any graphic design or…
Does your international company need a US trademark attorney?
Is an international company required to use a US attorney for US trademark applications? Yes, the USPTO requires all international companies (i.e., domiciled in a…
How to Respond to a Patent Rejection
Has your utility patent application been rejected? If your utility patent application has been rejected, welcome to the club. Approximately 90% of utility patent applications…
How to Know If Your Products Infringe a Patent
Where do you start if you have been accused of patent infringement? Disruptive and disconcerting – two of the most common emotions experienced by one…
How to Defend NPE Amazon Patent Infringement Evaluation
What is the name of Amazon’s patent infringement program? Amazon’s Neutral Patent Evaluation (NPE) program is their own version of patent court to resolve patent…
How to Prepare Acceptable Trademark Clothing Specimens of Use
What kinds of trademark clothing specimens are acceptable? An acceptable specimen of use for trademark application covering clothing items can be especially tricky. USPTO trademark…
Can you refile a provisional patent application (PPA)?
Can you refile a provisional patent application? You can file the same provisional patent application as many times as you want, and whenever you want.…
What is trademark monitoring?
What is a trademark monitoring service? A trademark monitoring service can notify you of trademark applications by third parties that may be similar to your…
What is a utility divisional application?
When is a divisional application appropriate? The option to file a divisional application arises if an Examiner thinks that your patent application contains multiple inventions…
What is a design patent divisional application?
Design patent divisional application: when do you need it? Though it does not happen often, a design patent application may occasionally be filed with multiple…
How to Prepare Acceptable Trademark Web Specimens of Use
What makes trademark web specimens tricky? Nowadays, it would seem unusual if a company does not sell any of its goods online. Sure, certain big…
How to Extend the PCT National Stage Deadline
Is it possible to extend the PCT national stage deadline? Depending upon the country, the deadline for entering the national phase of a PCT application…
What is a Species Restriction?
What is a species restriction? A species restriction differs from the more commonly known Restriction Requirement which arises when an Examiner feels that a patent…
