Vic Lin

Can you add new content after filing a patent application? Yes, it is possible to add new content after filing a utility patent application. There…

What is an ex parte patent appeal? An ex parte patent appeal is the process to seek review of a final rejection in a patent…

When filing a conventional direct priority U.S. nonprovisional patent application claiming priority to a foreign application filed within 12 months (Paris Convention, not PCT), an English translation of the…

Foreign Trademark Registration Options: Madrid Procotol vs. Direct Foreign Filing Trademark rights are territorial. Your US trademark registration does not provide you with rights in…

Inter Partes Review, or IPR, is a mini-trial held before the USPTO’s Patent and Trial Appeal Board (PTAB) to cancel specific claims of a patent on the…

Design Patents vs. Utility Patents Design patent or utility patent? This is a critical question that you need to resolve early in your patent journey.…

How do you decide which goods or services to include in a trademark application? Trademarks do not exist in a vacuum. A trademark must always…

What are the consequences of losing a TTAB trademark opposition or cancellation? So you have applied to register a trademark and everything has proceeded smoothly…

What is an FTO search? Also known as a Freedom-To-Operate (FTO) or right-to-use search, a patent infringement search looks for patents that may cover a…

Can an expired patent still be prior art against a pending application? Yes, an expired patent is still prior art. Prior art has nothing to…

Should I share my idea before applying for a patent? It’s almost never to your benefit to disclose your concept before filing a patent application. By…

How can you avoid infringing a utility patent? When it comes to utility patents, would a slight product modification avoid patent infringement? How would you…