When the Patent Office refuses to enter an amendment because the amendment might create a reason for restriction.  

Some ideas for reducing over-regulation at the US Patent and Trademark Office in the area of restriction requirements. 

Simon Tam, founding member of the All-Asian punk rock band, the Slants, gave a powerful speech about Trademarks and race at the Intellectual Property Year in Review CLE this past week in Oregon.* Simon intertwined the practical significance of Trademarks with how bureaucrats at the Trademark Office are making race-based decisions that disparately impact minority groups…

How to save RCE fees by properly petitioning untimely final rejections.

The Federal Circuit reversed the PTAB for an unreasonable interpretation of a “single” merchant being broad enough to refer to multiple merchants. 

Sometimes disclosure of non-inventive environmental aspects of an invention can save the day in very unexpected ways.

While the recent changes to a first to file system have been applicable for several years, many pending applications still fall under pre-AIA rules where an inventor can swear behind a reference that would otherwise qualify as prior art. Swearing behind a reference, such as via a Rule 131 affidavit, generally requires that one have…

Can negative claim limitations be given no patentable weight as not further limiting the claims?

Patents enable rapid seizure of a competitor’s product at an automotive industry trade show.

More on patent eligibility from the Federal Circuit’s recent decision adding to DDR Holdings, Enfish, Bascom, and McRO.