Posts Tagged: nonprovisional patent applications
Are fewer continuations the sign of a healthy patent system?
Hirshfeld explained to me that he is well aware of all of the portfolio reasons why continuations are very important, but the Office does really want to …
Invention to Patent 101 – Everything You Need to Know to Get Started
This page and website contain contain detailed information to help inventors on the road from invention to patent... Below are a sampling of inventor help links to …
Defining the Full Glory of Your Invention in a Patent Application
Perhaps the patent laws should not be so generous to allow inventors to protect that which they can describe on paper without any proof of a working …
What is a Utility Patent?
A utility patent is one of three separate types of patents the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) can award inventors to protect their inventions. Generally …
Requisites of a Patent Application: Claims and drawings technically not required on filing date
For as long as I can remember, in order for a nonprovisional utility patent application to be awarded the all important filing date you had to file …
Patent Prosecution 101: Understanding Patent Examiner Rejections
Unlike certain rejections one faces in life, a rejection from a patent examiner is never the end of the story, and definitely not final – even when the …
Patent Strategy: Advanced Patent Claim Drafting for Inventors
Today we pick up our series with discussion of some advanced patent claim drafting strategies for inventors and others new to the art of claim drafting. Sometimes …
Patent Drafting 101: The Basics of Describing Your Invention in a Patent Application
One big mistake inventors make is they will go on page after page in their draft patent application about how they came up with the idea for …
Patent Drafting for Beginners: The anatomy of a patent claim
First, every patent claim needs a preamble, which is the introductory phrase in a claim... Second, every patent claim needs a transition. The most common transitions are: “…
A Better Way to File Patent Applications
The PathWays system is designed to help applicants predict which art units an application is likely to be filed before the application is even filed. A unique …
Patent Drafting: Define terms when drafting patent applications, be your own lexicographer
Being your own lexicographer means is that you who can define your invention using whatever terms you choose, and after attributing pretty much whatever meaning you want …
The Best Mode Requirement: Not disclosing preferences in a patent application still a big mistake
The best mode requirement still exists, although the America Invents Act (AIA) has largely removed any consequences for failing to disclose the inventor’s best mode, which …
Patent Drafting: The Use of Relative Terminology Can Be Dangerous
The use of relative terminology, which are short-hand terms that express a certain similarity, are quite common in every day conversation, but are not always appropriate for …
Patent Drafting: Distinctly identifying the invention in exact terms
In short, a concise description of an invention is an inadequate description of an invention, period. The goal has to be to provide a full, clear, exact …
Patent Strategy: Building a patent portfolio with meaningful rights
Last week I wrote about adopting a patent strategy in order to lay the foundation for success. What the article did not touch upon, however, is how …