How to Speed Up Patent Applications
How can you speed up your utility patent application? The road to getting a US utility patent is often a long and expensive journey. There…
The Largest Free Patent and Trademark Q&A Resource: 560+ Posts on IP
Can you add new matter to a PCT application to be filed in the US?
What is a bypass application? A PCT application that designates the US may be considered a pending US application from the international application filing date…
Who is the trademark owner?
Who owns the trademark? It’s not uncommon for first-time trademark applicants to raise questions concerning ownership of the trademark. A trademark owner must be identified…
Likelihood of Confusion: What Makes Trademarks Similar or Not?
What is the purpose of a trademark? A trademark serves to indicate the source of goods or services (for simplicity, I’ll refer to both goods…
What are TTAB Initial Disclosures?
What are TTAB Initial Disclosures in a trademark opposition or cancellation? Each party in a trademark opposition or cancellation must disclose certain information to the other…
When does a trademark registration expire?
Do trademark registrations expire? Trademarks differ from patents in at least one critical way. Patents must expire. Trademark registrations can last indefinitely if they are…
US National Stage Entry Based on PCT Application: What to Know
US National Stage Application: The Basics For most international patent applicants, the US is one of the top national phase PCT countries to be considered.…
CIP vs. New Stand-Alone Patent Application: What are tradeoffs?
CIP or new patent application? When it comes to new subject matter that is related to a pending utility patent application, should you file a…
How long does it take to register a trademark?
How long does a trademark registration take? Many variables can prolong the US trademark application process. Generally, the fastest path to a registration would be…
How long is the US patent application process (how much time does it take to get a utility patent)?
How long is the utility patent application process? The USPTO is notorious for its backlog of examining utility nonprovisional patent applications. First-time utility patent applicants…
What is the first to file patent rule?
What is the first-to-file patent system? US patent laws no longer recognize who was first to invent, but rather who applied first for a patent.…
What is a priority date?
What is a patent priority date? Priority date refers to the earliest filing date in a family of patent applications. Where only a single patent…
What Foreign Applicants Must Know About US Design Patents
Reasons for Procuring US Design Patents Chinese design patent owners will already know the benefits of design patent protection in the US. Unlike US utility patents,…
What are negative claim limitations?
What are negative claim limitations? A negative claim limitation is language recited in a patent claim that speaks to the absence of a feature, as…
How to Transfer Patent Ownership
How to Transfer Patent Ownership Patent ownership starts with the inventors. It is fairly straightforward, however, to transfer ownership to a company. Every patent application…
Ready to Slay Goliath?
Not sure where to start? Email US patent attorney Vic Lin at vlin@icaplaw.com.