Category: Patents

Yu and the Case of Shifting Tests for Patents

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the invalidation of Yu et al.’s patent on a motion to dismiss in Yanbin Yu v. Apple Inc., No. 2020-1760, 2021 U.S. App. LEXIS 17434 (Fed. Cir. June 11, 2021).…

How long does it take to get a patent in 2021? And what about COVID-19?

An applicant secures a patent after successfully prosecuting the patent application at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). When the USPTO believes an application embodies an invention worthy of a patent, the USPTO grants a Notice of Allowance.…

Full Patent Protection vs. a Provisional Patent Application

The cost savings of filing a provisional patent application without consulting a professional are certainly tempting. However, such a strategy may ultimately cost more in the long run, including possibly costing valuable patent protection. What is a Provisional Patent Application?…

The Difference between Utility, Design, and Plant Patents

Intellectual property is generally separated into different categories including patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets. U.S. patent law further divides patents into three different types: utility, design, and plant patents. Each type of patent serves a similar purpose of spurring…

Tesla’s Lasers on Vehicle Patent

In May of 2019, Tesla filed a patent application for “Pulsed Laser Cleaning of Debris Accumulated on Glass Articles in Vehicles and Photovoltaic Assemblies.” Instead of using conventional windshield wipers, Tesla envisioned a system to clean debris from any glass…

Automating Animation: Patentable; Automating Captions: Hold On

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has issued a decision affirming that patent claims to automating the process of making closed captions for audio-visual media are ineligible for patent protection. In Enco Sys. v. Davincia, the Court…

Why Perform a Patentability Search before Filing Your Patent Application?

Patentability searches can be useful to get a better idea of whether an invention can be patented. A good search may prevent the cost of a wasted patent application on an already-invented and published invention, but can also be useful…

Amazon Brand Registry

What is Amazon Brand Registry? Brand owners work hard to protect their intellectual property (IP), including their trademarked brands. Amazon has recently become one of the largest companies in the world by providing a marketplace for sellers and buyers to…

What is the life of a patent in the US?

How long does a US patent last? The term for which a utility patent is valid is generally 20 years from the date of filing, and the term for which a design patent is valid is generally 15 years from…

When is it too late to file a patent application?

Getting the timing right for filing a Patent Application can be tricky. While there are several factors that will bar you from pursuing a Patent if you file too late, it is also possible to file too early. For this…

We imagine a future filled with technological advances and top-notch intellectual property attorneys meeting all potential legal needs.