Terminal disclaimers
What is a terminal disclaimer? You have filed multiple patent applications, and your examiner is now asking for one. What does this … Read more
Patent examination
Utility patents
Utility patents are the best way to protect most inventions. But to get one, you have to convince a USPTO examiner that your … Read more
Design patent obviousness
Design patents must be non-obvious under 35 USC 103. But, because the examiner is visually comparing different drawings, this analysis can be … Read more
Continuation applications
Don’t like having your own inventions used against you? Before your patent issues, consider filing a continuation application.
Why prior art searches are a good idea
Do a prior art search before filing a patent. Anything that was sold or published more than a year ago, including your own work, can be used against you.
Patent Public Search Tool
Want to see what an examiner might find? Try the USPTO Patent Public Search Tool. US patent examiners are a skeptical lot. … Read more