patent attorney

Design Patent Process and Cost: How to Protect the Appearance of Your Products

What is the design patent application process? The design patent process is much simpler than that of a utility patent. Costs for obtaining a design…

How to Understand Patent Claims

How do you read utility patent claims? What exactly does a utility patent cover? It boils down to the claims. Yet, they are the least…

How to Follow Through After Filing a Provisional Patent Application

What are next steps after filing a provisional patent application? So you’ve filed a provisional patent application. Now what? The next steps depend upon a…

Why file a continuation before your patent is granted?

Why file a continuation application before your patent is granted? “I don’t know what I don’t know.” This axiom rings true especially when it comes…

Micro Entity Status: What is our firm’s policy?

Why does micro entity status matter? USPTO patent fees are generally proportionate to the size of the applicant. A large entity with over 500 employees…

Is a Final Office Action really “final”?

How final is a Final Office Action? Do not get anxious when you receive a Final Office Action (FOA) in your patent application. It is…

Who is the patent inventor?

What makes someone a patent inventor? Every US patent application requires an identification of each inventor. A patent inventor must be an individual who contributes…

Inventor Grace Period: When is it too late to file a US patent after disclosing invention?

Can prior public disclosures of my invention kill my chances of getting a patent? Revealing your invention to the public before filing a patent application…

How to Speed Up Patent Applications

How can you speed up your utility patent application? The road to getting a US utility patent is often a long and expensive journey. There…

How long is the US patent application process (how much time does it take to get a utility patent)?

How long is the utility patent application process? The USPTO is notorious for its backlog of examining utility nonprovisional patent applications. First-time utility patent applicants…

What is the first to file patent rule?

What is the first-to-file patent system? US patent laws no longer recognize who was first to invent, but rather who applied first for a patent.…

What is a priority date?

What is a patent priority date? Priority date refers to the earliest filing date in a family of patent applications. Where only a single patent…

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