Vic Lin

What are preferred embodiments? In any other context besides patents, “preferred embodiment” would sound quite strange. Yet, the term is used so commonly and frequently…

What questions should you ask when you’re unsure about filing a patent application? Making a decision about filing a patent can be a daunting task.…

What happens when a trademark registration is not renewed? Trademark registrations have strict time periods for renewal. In trademark vocabulary, “renewing” a registered trademark is…

Do you need a registration in order to use a trademark? No, there is no legal requirement to register or even apply for a mark…

Why not file a patent application? Deciding whether or not to file a patent application is not easy. Endless questions may be circling in the…

Is there a PCT strategy that will benefit your US national stage? The PCT application is more than something to push back deadlines. While the…

What are patent claim amendments? Claim amendments are a natural part of the utility patent process. A typical utility nonprovisional patent application will receive at…

Who should be identified as the applicant in a trademark application? In every trademark application filed with the USPTO, an applicant must be properly identified.…

What kinds of comments are useful in revising a draft patent application? So your patent attorney has sent you a first draft of your utility…

Is the trademark examiner a licensed attorney? Yes, trademark examiners at the USPTO are licensed attorneys at law. That is why they are called examining…

What are the different types of trademark refusals? As much as you try to avoid it, you may receive a refusal to register your mark…

What are allowed or allowable claims in a utility patent application? So, the examiner indicates that your utility patent application has allowable claims. Congratulations! The…