With the introduction of the America Invents (Leahy-Smith) Act a decade ago, the United States moved from ‘first-to-invent’ to a ‘first-to-file’ patent system. While it may be tempting to rush to the patent office to put your date-stamp stake in the ground, an important step […]
In patent searching, compromising quality for cost may mean missing key information critical to successful patent filing, portfolio management and defensive actions. However, the pressure within most corporations to reduce costs has never been greater. Is there a balance and what could you be compromising? […]
While some corporations and law firms may have in-house patent research professionals and resources, there is an ever growing need to exclusively or partly outsource searching to a professional patent search firm; whether it be for volume pre-filing searches, over-flow searching, additional expertise, or extended […]
When it comes to freedom to operate you always want to ensure the greatest level of diligence for making the most informed decisions. Have you considered freedom to operate search updates, periodic alerts, or extensions on searches that have been performed for you in the […]
What steps should you take with regards to your patent and scientific literature searches that will help eliminate your risk and take your search results to a new level? Below are three essential elements to successfully engaging an outside search professional for finding critical prior […]
Like other patent offices, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming a top priority for the USPTO. In the summer of 2019, the USPTO issued a ‘Request for Comments on Patenting Artificial Intelligence Inventions’. The questions covered several topics including the patent examination policy and also posed […]
It has been confirmed that under Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, the UK will exit from the Unified Patent Court (UPC). This is clearly another step under the Brexit (British Exit) process for the UK to become independent. UK Government spokesperson confirmed, “The UK will not […]
The EPO recently published grounds for its decision to refuse two European patent applications naming an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system as the inventor. At the end of last year, European patent applications EP 18 275 163 and EP 18 275 174 were filed with the […]
For Bettina de Jong, being a patent information professional has always meant going above and beyond the call of duty. During her long and successful career, Bettina has risen to positions of responsibility in patent searching and management within leading corporations. Throughout, she has sought […]
The EPO published its first European patent application, EP 000 000 1 forty years ago today (20 December 2018). The application related to a “thermal heat pump” and was filed by European Atomic Energy Community. The patent was granted on 7 January 1981. A batch […]
