Author: Vic Lin

How To Get Foreign Design Patent Protection

How do you obtain foreign design patent protection? If you are considering foreign design patents, first check to make sure your invention is eligible for…

What is an incontestable trademark registration?

What is an incontestable trademark registration? A federal trademark registration on the Principal Register may become incontestable after five years. An incontestable registration provides its…

Can a patent application be confidential (nonpublication request)?

Are utility patent applications kept confidential? By default, utility nonprovisional patent applications are published around 18 months from the priority date. This publication occurs whether…

What prior art documents should be included in an Information Disclosure Statement (IDS)?

Why is an IDS required? The USPTO places an obligation on each patent applicant to disclose any known prior art references that are relevant to…

What are minimum USPTO fees that must be paid at the initial filing of US national stage patent application?

Bare Minimum Fee for Entering US National Stage The bare minimum official fee due upon filing a U.S. national phase patent application is the basic national fee. As of the…

How long is the trademark grace period for a registration renewal?

Is there a trademark renewal grace period? If you miss a trademark registration maintenance deadline, there is good news. You have a 6-month trademark registration…

US Customs Trademark Recordation: How to Block Import of Infringing Products

How to Make US Customs Your Ally Did you know that US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) can serve as your trademark police? An owner…

What are the consequences of a patent owner’s delay or inactivity against an infringer?

Before initially contacting a business believed to have infringed a patent, the patent owner should have a strategy for following through if the accused infringer does not respond favorably.…

Patent Search: What are differences between Novelty, Validity and Freedom-To-Operate Searches?

What are the different types of patent searches? A patent search can mean different things. So when you’re talking to a patent attorney about a…

What is PDX (Electronic Priority Document Exchange)?

When a U.S. national stage patent application or direct filing claims priority to a foreign application, a certified copy of the foreign priority document is required.…

What are differences between the Principal Register and Supplemental Register?

Principal Register vs. Supplemental Register By default, most trademark applications seek registration on the Principal Register. When an examining attorney determines that a mark is…

What happens when your trademark in use is different than the mark in your registration or application?

Does your mark in use match your applied-for or registered mark? Trademark use and registration are two different issues. In an ideal world, your trademark…

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