Author: Vic Lin

Why economic moat is good for startups It’s a competitive world out there. In any area of business that appears profitable, competition seems only to…

What is a generic mark? A generic mark is a word understood by the public as the common term for a product or service. For…

Is national stage the only way a PCT application can enter the US? No, an alternative option to enter the US from a PCT application…

What is the purpose of utility patent drawings? We all (should) know that the figures, i.e., patent drawings, do not define the claimed invention in…

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.…

How are patents and trademarks different? The goal of this article is to provide a helpful summary of differences between patents and trademarks that will…

What comes first: filing trademark or launching product? The US trademark registration system is different from the rest of the world. With a few exceptions,…

Will you get a prior art search in your PCT patent application? Yes, a prior art patent search is typically made in each PCT application.…

Can you have too many goods or services in a US trademark application? Most foreign countries do not require use of the trademark for registration.…

Same patent by others in different country? If an earlier applicant obtains a patent first in their own country, can others subsequently patent the same…

Dead or live marks on USPTO trademark database Anyone can search trademarks on the USPTO’s Trademark Electronic Search System, or TESS for short. The status…

What are the new USPTO trademark filing rules in 2020? Starting Feb. 15, 2020, certain mandatory requirements for trademark filings will take effect. These changes…