What makes a patent pending invention obvious? A Section 103 rejection based on obviousness is one of the most common rejections in utility patent applications.…
What is a novel invention? Patent novelty refers to the uniqueness of an invention. To be patentable, an invention must be both novel and nonobvious. An…
Who is the patent owner? US law presumes that a patent application is owned by the individual inventor(s) unless another person or entity is properly identified and…
CIP or Continuation: What are the differences? Both types of patent applications fall under the category of a continuing application. A continuing application is a…
Which countries are not members of the PCT? Since the PCT does not cover every country, applicants interested in foreign patent protection must keep in mind the…
What does patent ineligible mean? Not everything is patentable. US courts have recently drawn a line between eligible versus ineligible subject matter for patent protection.…
How much is the initial filing cost of a utility nonprovisional patent application? By far, the biggest component in determining the cost of a nonprovisional…
What is a Request for Continued Examination (RCE)? We’ve discussed how a patent Final Office Action is not really “final.” You will still have opportunities to…
How to Deal with a Final Patent Rejection Sometimes, an ex parte appeal is your only reasonable option when your patent application has been repeatedly…
Color Drawings & Color Photographs in Utility Patent Applications Color drawings are acceptable in US patent applications, but not in international applications (see PCT Rule…
What happens after your nonprovisional utility patent application is filed? So your utility nonprovisional patent application has been filed. Now what? Expect a long wait…
Preliminary Review of Claims in PCT Application Every PCT application automatically receives a prior art search and a written opinion on the invention’s novelty, inventive step…