Category: Patent Applications

What is a provisional patent application (PPA)?

What is a provisional patent application? So you’re thinking about getting a utility patent, but you’re not sure whether you want to invest in such…

How to Understand Patent Claims

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…

Flat Rate Patent Costs: Everything You Need to Know

What is a flat rate patent application? Flat rate initial filing A flat rate patent application generally refers to a patent application that is initially…

How to Follow Through After Filing a Provisional Patent Application

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 file a continuation before your patent is granted?

Why file a continuation application before your patent is granted? “I don’t know what I don’t know.” This axiom rings true especially when it comes…

Utility Patent Process: Nonprovisional Patent Application Process from Start to Finish

What is the utility patent process? The utility patent process is typically a long arduous journey. We’ll try to simplify the patent application process by…

Patentable or Not? What can you patent?

Can you patent that? “Patentable?” This is one of the most common questions we get from new clients. The question may relate to whether their…

What is a Preliminary Amendment?

What is a Preliminary Amendment? A Preliminary Amendment is a submission filed prior to the issuance of an Office Action in a patent application. The…

What is an After-Final Response?

What is an after-final response? An after-final response refers to a reply to a Final Office Action that is filed without a Request for Continued…

PCT National Phase: What You Need To Know About National Stage Into Foreign Countries

What is the PCT national phase? A PCT application extends the deadline for filing utility patent applications in both the US and foreign countries. That…

Micro Entity Status: What is our firm’s policy?

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…

Why combine multiple inventions into a single utility patent application?

If you have multiple inventions related to a main idea or product, when does it make sense to combine them into a single utility patent…

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