Patent Applications

What is supplemental examination? Supplemental examination is a USPTO process to reconsider an issued patent as requested by the patent owner. If USPTO grants a…

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…

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 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 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 system? US patent laws no longer recognize who was first to invent, but rather who applied first for a patent.…

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…

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? 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 Patent ownership starts with the inventors. It is fairly straightforward, however, to transfer ownership to a company. Every patent application…

Drawing the line between old and new The term “prior art” is frequently used in the patent world to refer to what already exists. It’s the…

What is a Section 112 indefinite rejection? Patent claims must follow certain rigid rules in terms of format and language. For this reason, claims will often…