A Double Patenting Rejection is a common issue faced by inventors who try to obtain two or more patents for the same or similar invention. Why someone would want more than two patents for the same invention? Isn't that redundant and a waste of money? What is the purpose and problem of obtaining two or more patents on an invention? Obtaining two patents on an invention isn't … [Read more...]
Patent prosecution
Patent prosecution is the act of communicating with the Patent Office such as by filing an application for patent, responding to office actions, satisfying various patent law requirements for securing a patent. Browse related articles below. Browse related articles below.
What is an examiner’s amendment?
An examiner's amendment is an office action where the examiner amends the patent application upon authorization of the applicant. Normally, the applicant is responsible for amending the application to overcome any objections and rejections from the examiner. However, in this case, the examiner is amending the application. Why would the examiner make an examiner’s … [Read more...]
What is an Ex parte Quayle Action?
An Ex parte Quayle Action is an action where the claims have been allowed but the patent application is objected to for certain technicalities (i.e., minor formalities). The Ex parte Quayle Action officially closes prosecution and requires the applicant to fix the technicalities. A response must be filed within 2 months of the mail date of the office action and may be filed … [Read more...]
What is a Notice to File Missing Parts?
A Notice to File Missing Parts is an office action identifying part(s) of the patent application that was not initially filed but should have been filed. A complete patent application was not filed. Those parts must now be filed to complete the patent application. Otherwise, examination on the merits of the invention will be delayed. A response including the identified … [Read more...]
Office Actions: Rejections versus Objections
A rejection means that the examiner will not allow the claimed invention based on its merit. The examiner is rejecting the claims as being ineligible for patent protection, not novel or not new, obvious, or indefinite. An objection means that the technicalities or formalities of the patent application are incorrect. They need to be fixed before the patent application can … [Read more...]
What is a final office action v. the non-final office action?
A final office action means the examiner has rejected the patent application and does not need to consider any further claim amendments and arguments. The examination has ended and the patent application will be abandoned. Please note that a final office action is never final. The examination can always be continued by filing a request for continued examination (RCE), a … [Read more...]
What is a filing receipt for a patent application?
A filing receipt is a document from the Patent Office which lists basic and critical information about your patent application. Basic information includes, for example, the filing date and the serial number of your patent application. Critical information (highlighted in green below) includes information related to, for example, any claim of priority and foreign filing … [Read more...]
How to increase your chances of getting a patent?
Getting a utility patent is hard. Only fifty to sixty percent of all applications mature into a patent. However, you can increase your chance of getting a patent by implementing the following tips:Tip #1: Conduct a patent search to find out where to focus your patent application;Tip #2: Preload the patent application with details; andTip #3: Conduct an examiner's … [Read more...]