Legal Advantage's Blog > Inside Intellectual Property

Inside Intellectual Property is a Legal Advantage blog dedicated to sharing IP ideas, tools, techniques and knowledge. Posts are written by experts in the field with insights gained from hands on experience. Learn more about Legal Advantage

Ensure Consistency in your Design Patents with a Simple Guide Thursday, June 16, 2011
Posted by Legal Advantage

When it comes to complex and organic forms, drawing design patents with consistent figures can be a challenge. The validity of a design patent is based on the consistent representation of a form that is seen from figure to figure - no figure can contain any information to the design if it is not seen in a different figure. A design patent protects the structural or ornamental appearance of the new invention, and the claims for the patent are based on the specific ornamental appearance of the patent drawings. It is critical that consistory is not only checked throughout the patent illustration process, but that it is built into the way the drawings are created. At Legal Advantage we provide supplemental documentation to each design patent illustration, ensuring that all of the fig ...
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Posted In:[Illustration Tips], [IP Services], [USPTO]

USPTO Appoints New Deputy Commissioner for Trademark Operations Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Posted by Legal Advantage

Washington - The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today announced the appointment of Mary Boney Denison as Deputy Commissioner for Trademark Operations. In her new position, Ms. Denison will oversee the examination and processing of applications throughout the trademark operation. Ms. Denison is a founding partner of Manelli Denison & Selter PLLC in Washington, D.C. where her practice has focused on trademark prosecution and litigation. She has been an active member of the 5,500 member International Trademark Association (INTA) for many years having served as a member of the INTA Board of Directors for three years; as Vice Chair and Chair of its Treaty Analysis Committee; and most recently she served as Chair of the USPTO subcommittee charged with representing the ...
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Posted In:[USPTO], [Trademark]

European Patent Office Applicant Increase in 2010 Tuesday, June 07, 2011
Posted by Legal Advantage

The European Patent Office (EPO) has published its 2010 patent filing statistics, and records have been broken. The EPO received 235,000 patent filings which is an 11% increase over 2009, and sets the records as the most patents files in the EPO’s 34 year history. EPO President Benoît Battistelli states: "The figures are clear: growth is back. In 2010 there was an increase in demand for patent protection from every region of the world. After a two-year slump the EU and US are nearly back to their levels of patenting of before the crisis. This combined with a massive rise in patent applications from Asia - led by China - has made 2010 a record year at the EPO." Electronic devices, Chemical engineering, and network data companies lead the top patent applicants with Siemens appl ...
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Posted In:[EPO], [Statistics]

Peer to Patent System Launches in the UK Thursday, June 02, 2011
Posted by Legal Advantage

The Minister for Intellectual property, Baroness Wilcox, launched an innovative new tool to help improve the patent application process where experts from the scientific and technology communities view and comment on patent applications. A six month pilot program will take place where 200 applications in the computing field will be uploaded and reviewed. Registered users will be able to comment and critique applications, after which the system will summarize the comments and send them to the appropriate patent examiner at the Intellectual Property Office (IPO). "Patent applications granted after using the Peer To Patent website review will be potentially stronger, giving businesses better protection to grow their innovative ideas. This will give the IPO access to a wider body of k ...
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