patent attorney

What should you ask for in a second opinion? So you have a nagging feeling that something is not right with your pending patent application,…

What is the design patent application process? The design patent process is much simpler than that of a utility patent. Costs for obtaining a design…

How to read utility patent claims In terms of what a utility patent covers, claims matter the most. Yet, they are the least understood. Attempting…

What are next steps after filing a provisional patent application? So you’ve filed a provisional patent application. Now what? The next steps depend upon a…

Why does micro entity status matter? USPTO patent fees are generally proportionate to the size of the applicant. A large entity with over 500 employees…

Can prior public disclosures of my invention kill my chances of getting a patent? Revealing your invention to the public before filing a patent application…

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…

What is a patent examiner interview? Patent examiners are human. This simple truth is often overlooked in the back-and-forth written communications with the USPTO. An…

USPTO IDS Fees Depend upon Timing Applicants have an obligation to tell the USPTO about known prior art that is relevant to their patent applications.…

What is a Request for Continued Examination (RCE)? We’ve discussed how a patent Final Office Action is not really “final.” You will still have opportunities to…