The road to patent registration can be long and confusing – especially for a first-time inventor. Below is Part I of a broad overview of the major
End of the Monopoly: When Patents Expire
When you have a patent registered with the USPTO, you get up to a 20-year exclusive monopoly to practice your patent. No one can make your patented
Are Patent Applications Secret?
What do you do if you have the next great idea but you are not sure if it is patentable? If you file a patent application, won’t it be available for
Taking Patent Litigation Out of Texas: The Supreme Court’s TC Heartland Decision
For the last two decades, patent holders – many of them “trolls” – have favored suing accused infringers in the Eastern District of Texas, even those
Options for Accused Patent Infringers
In the hierarchy of mail that business owners hate to receive, including annoying junk mail and requisite bills, the most frightening mail might be
A Breath of Fresh Air
Last week, I had a refreshing and unusual telephone conversation with a patent examiner from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
Patent vs Trademark
It’s not uncommon for us to get calls from prospective clients who want us to “patent their logo,” or otherwise incorrectly try to use intellectual
Can I File My Own Patent Application?
Nineteenth-century French playwright Charles-Guillaume Etienne wrote, "On n'est jamais servi si bien que par soi-même," which roughly translates to,
Another Weapon against Patent Trolls: Arizona Patent Troll Prevention Act
In May 2016, the Arizona Patent Troll Prevention Act became law, and Arizona joined the ranks of states that create laws geared at stopping patent