The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), created in 2012 as part of the America Invents Act, a branch of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) that hears appeals to adverse examiner decisions and conducts trials, including inter partes reviews and post-grant challenges. Ideally, the PTAB is meant to ensure the predictable, uniform, and unbiased application of USPTO policy to patent applications.
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Intellectual Property Law Knowledge Center
Revised PTAB Operating Procedures Will Mean Transparency and Reliability for Patent Owners
October 4th, 2018
What do the ™, ℠, ®, ©, and “Pat. Pend.” Symbols Mean? How should I use them?
September 5th, 2018
Intellectual property assets are valuable. One way to maintain the value of those assets is to correctly use the applicable notice, shown as symbols or specific phrasing, that publicly designate the type of protection claimed.
Let’s Face It; Some Patents Are Odd!
August 7th, 2018
By Stephen E. Murray Over ten million patents have been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office to date. Here are four of the stranger ones: Patent 7062320 – Device for the treatment of hiccups “A device for the treatment of hiccups, and more specifically, to a method and apparatus for the treatment…
When Will the Patent Office Issue Patent #20,000,000?
July 9th, 2018
On June 19th, the US Patent Office issued its ten millionth patent, to Raytheon, just over three years after it issued the ninth millionth patent to WiperFill Holdings, LLC. It took 200 years for the total number of U.S. patents to reach 5 million.
Inter Partes Reviews – A Brief Primer, Recent Supreme Court Rulings, and the USPTO’s Notice of Proposed Changes
May 21st, 2018
Inter partes reviews (IPRs) were enacted on September 16, 2012, as part of the America Invents Act (AIA) passed by Congress.
The Whats and Whys of IP Audits
April 12th, 2018
An IP audit is a systematic examination and verification of a company’s intellectual property assets and an analysis of strengths and threats. A company’s IP assets may be invaluable.
Why Enroll Your Trademark in the Amazon Brand Registry?
March 15th, 2018
Selling on Amazon is nearly ubiquitous, so it’s imperative to protect your brand – your trademark – across the platform. Amazon has made it easier to do so by overhauling its Brand Registry last year and creating, in their own words, “an accurate and trusted experience for customers.” As a brand owner, you must have a dual focus on strengthening and protecting your brand while also engaging and serving your customers. The Amazon Brand Registry supports this dual focus.
Here Comes the Rush to Trademark ‘Philly Special’
February 28th, 2018
One of the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl victory’s most memorable moments witnessed was a gutsy play that the team called the “Philly Special.” It was one of the boldest calls in Super Bowl history, and it has inspired some bold moves at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”), as well. As the term “Philly Special” has spread like wildfire through Eagles’ fandom, quick-thinking entrepreneurs have raced to capitalize on it, filing trademark applications to secure the rights to those golden words.
Do You Have European Patents? Get Ready for the UPC
January 30th, 2018
In the nearly five years since 25 European Union states signed an intergovernmental agreement to create a Unified Patent Court (UPC), a number of political obstacles have arisen to delay its enactment. Those obstacles are beginning to resolve, however, and it is time to begin thinking about how the Unitary Patent will affect your IP portfolio strategy.
2017 Supreme Court and Federal Circuit IP Year in Review
December 27th, 2017
Throughout 2017, Panitch Schwarze has carefully watched key intellectual property disputes at the U.S. Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC). The following 2017 cases will impact the protection of intellectual property in the United States.
Topics
- Revised PTAB Operating Procedures Will Mean Transparency and Reliability for Patent Owners
- What do the ™, ℠, ®, ©, and “Pat. Pend.” Symbols Mean? How should I use them?
- Let’s Face It; Some Patents Are Odd!
- When Will the Patent Office Issue Patent #20,000,000?
- Inter Partes Reviews – A Brief Primer, Recent Supreme Court Rulings, and the USPTO’s Notice of Proposed Changes