What Patent Examiners Need vs. What They Get
If you want to know what makes for a well written patent application, it may help to understand what USPTO examiners really think. According to…
The Largest Free Patent and Trademark Q&A Resource: 560+ Posts on IP
What to do before utility patent application is published
Utility nonprovisional patent applications are typically published around 18 months from the priority date. This event usually comes and goes without much fanfare. Before your…
What is a patent specification?
What is the purpose of a patent specification? One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to read a patent specification and think you…
Provisional to Nonprovisional: How to Support a Utility Patent with a Provisional Patent Application
What does a provisional patent application do? As suggested in its name, the “provisional” in provisional patent application has a connotation of temporary or conditional.…
Can you register a misspelled trademark?
Can you register a misspelled trademark? Misspelled words can become registered trademarks, but not necessarily because of the misspelling. USPTO trademark examining attorneys will look…
What is a utility model?
What is the difference between a utility model and a utility patent? Foreign utility patents are expensive. To obtain a foreign utility patent, you normally…
How to Trademark a Name or Word
How do you trademark a name or a word? If you want to obtain a US trademark registration for a business or product name, you…
What is a design mark application?
What is a design mark application? If you were asked to conjure up the first trademark that comes to mind, what would you see? A…
Why request to divide a trademark application?
What is a request to divide a trademark application? We tend to think of trademark applications as “all or nothing.” In particular, we think of…
How can the Collaborative Search Pilot Program (CSP) help US cross-filers in Japan or S. Korea?
What is CSP*? Typically, most folks applying for utility patents desire the path of least resistance, meaning fewer rejections and less prior art cited. So,…
The Art of Persuasion: How to persuade IP examiners
Why is persuasion necessary? If you’re going to be an IP attorney, you must be able to persuade. There is no way around it. Whether…
What is a patent Fast-Track Appeal?
What is a Fast-Track Appeal? Appealing a rejected patent application can take years. Normally, an appeal to the PTAB would be taken up for decision…
How to save clients money (while making money)
Is it possible to save clients money and earn more? It seems paradoxical to earn more by saving clients money. As IP attorneys, we practice…
Billable hour vs. flat rates
How clients perceive hourly billing versus flat rates When I started practicing IP law back in the last millennium, hourly billing was the standard for…
IP Networking: What Works for Introverts Like Me
IP Networking for an Introvert Have you ever attended a large networking event and felt like you lost a couple hours of life that you’ll…
