Author: Vic Lin

Choosing patent foreign countries A US patent provides a patent owner with rights only in the US. That might be enough for patent owners who…

Same trademark, different country It is possible for others to register a US trademark in a foreign country. A US trademark registration does not block…

Isn’t a cheap provisional patent application better than nothing? Provisional patent applications serve a useful purpose. When written properly, a provisional application can provide valuable…

Before filing a US national stage patent application A PCT application provides several benefits beyond merely delaying the costs of filing individual national stage applications…

Has trademark examination become more inconsistent? Trademarks share a common feature with patents in that a trademark must be different in order to be registered.…

What is an invention funded by the federal government? Certain rules pertain to any private companies or persons seeking to patent a federal government funded…

What is laches? Laches is a fancy legal term meaning delay. If there has been delay in filing a TTAB trademark cancellation, laches might be…

What is a TTAB summary judgment motion? A TTAB summary judgment motion is a pretrial filing made to request an earlier decision in a trademark…

What is an ex parte (1-sided) patent reexamination request? Suppose you have at least $1,000,000 to spend challenging a patent. With such a sizable budget,…

Design patent or utility patent? One of the most common questions we get from startup entrepreneurs is whether they should apply for a design patent…

What is a PCT prior art search report? Patent examiners review PCT applications in the same way that the USPTO examines utility nonprovisional patent applications.…

Why does an early trademark filing date matter? US trademark law generally regards the first trademark user, and not the filer, as the rightful owner.…