The Largest Free Patent and Trademark Q&A Resource: 600+ Posts on IP

Flat fee attorneys for trademark oppositions or cancellations? My firm, Innovation Capital Law Group, offers flat rate attorney’s fees for IP matters, including a fee schedule…

Need an NDA to talk to a patent attorney? It’s a common question I get from startups and those new to US patent filings. In…

What is PPH? PPH stands for Patent Prosecution Highway, a cooperative program between the USPTO and participating foreign patent offices to expedite the allowance of…

What is an IP checklist? An IP checklist helps a startup company to make sure that fundamental IP rights are adequately protected. At a minimum,…

Is there a way to challenge or oppose a patent application? Yes, any third party may file a preissuance submission to oppose a nonprovisional patent…

What rights do you have while patent pending? Can a patent filer can stop copycats and would-be infringers while their patent application is pending? The…

What are patent foreign filing deadlines? A foreign filing deadline refers to a specific date by which an applicant must file a foreign patent application…

Have you received a patent infringement cease-and-desist letter? Patent cease-and-desist letters come in various forms. Some patent infringement letters contain aggressive language. Others take a…

Is a Power of Attorney required to pay a maintenance fee? If a new patent attorney or law firm plans to pay the maintenance fee…

What is use in commerce? To establish trademark rights in the US, a trademark owner generally must be the first to use a mark in…

Can an Assignee also be identified as an Applicant in a US national phase application? Yes, if the earliest filing date of the US national…

Can you file a US patent application after selling your product? The US patent system is different from the patent laws of most foreign countries…

Is there such a thing as a patent renewal? Sort of. Instead of patent renewals, they are called maintenance fees. Maintenance fees apply only to…

What are the differences between provisional and nonprovisional patent applications? A nonprovisional patent application is normally considered the regular utility patent application. It is what…

What is an inherently distinctive trademark? An inherently distinctive trademark is a mark that lacks descriptive wording in relation to your goods or services. It’s…