How Not to Write a Patent


The Patent Office has taken a number of steps in the last year or so toward transparency, approachability, and clarity. It recently released the Patent Dashboard, or “Data Visualization Center.” The Dashboard is a simple display of the average time…
A design patent protects the ornamental and aesthetic aspects of a functional item. Whereas a utility patent protects the parts of the item, the way its parts cooperatively move or operate together, how they are structured and arranged, etc., design…
US patent law has provisions that account for space activity.
Marc Graser and Dave McNary wrote a great piece over at Variety regarding the difficulties in keeping a blockbuster movie under wraps during production. Pre-release leakage of information, pictures, scripts can destroy a movie – but it can also make…
Recently decided Pacfic Coast Marine Windshields, Ltd. v. Malibu Boats, LLC established, perhaps predictably, that prosecution history estoppel is a doctrine that can be enforced in design patent litigation. Prosecution history estoppel is the practice of defending a patent litigation…
If a Patent Examiner at the United States Patent and Trademark Office believes that your application claims more than one invention, he or she will issue a restriction requirement. Restriction requirements are incredibly common and are a normal part of…