patent application

Do you need a design or utility patent application? At the outset, you will not be able to tell whether your patent application is any…

What makes a utility patent good? A patent can be both a sword and shield. Defensively, a patent blocks future applicants from patenting the same…

Can you change a patent application after it has been filed? Do ideas simply stop churning in your head after a patent application has been…

Do you need a prototype before a patent is filed? No, you do not need to build a working prototype before filing a patent application.…

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…

Thinking like a patent examiner We are privileged to have a former USPTO patent examiner, Lyman Smith, as Of Counsel patent attorney to our firm.…

What is a patent publication? A patent publication is a published utility patent application which is not the same thing as a patent. While a…

Broader patent claims: when less is more Before we dive into this discussion, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page about what we…

Your patent strategy depends on your goals Patent strategies should be dictated by end goals. So it makes sense to start with a worthy goal,…

What does the TM symbol mean? The TM symbol placed next to a mark is meant to put the public on notice that the owner…

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…