The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has recently announced a significant procedural change that will impact how patents are granted. This USPTO update, effective May 13, 2025, reduces the time between the Issue Notification and the official Patent Issue Date from an average of three weeks to just two weeks. This change is […]
In intellectual property (IP) strategy, two critical types of patent searches play distinct roles: Freedom-to-Operate (FTO) searches and Patentability searches. While both involve analyzing patents, they serve different legal and commercial purposes. Relying on one without the other can lead to legal risks, missed opportunities, or wasted R&D investment. This article provides a technical comparison […]
Patent research is a critical step in innovation, intellectual property protection, and competitive intelligence. While free patent databases like Google Patents and Espacenet provide easy access to vast repositories of patent information, they come with limitations that can impact accuracy, completeness, and legal standing. For businesses, inventors, and researchers, understanding these risks is essential to […]
Innovation is the driving force behind technological advancements and economic growth. Patent citation analysis is a powerful tool that helps businesses, researchers, and policymakers identify industry trends before they fully emerge. By examining how patents reference one another, we can gain insights into evolving technologies, emerging market trends, and the competitive landscape. Patent citation analysis […]
The implementation of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) marks a significant milestone in the European patent landscape. Designed to centralize patent litigation and create a more streamlined system, the UPC has brought about profound changes to how businesses and legal professionals approach patent searches and filings in Europe. This article explores the impact of the […]
The world of intellectual property is a vast and complex domain, with patent searches at its heart. A thorough patent search is crucial for inventors, businesses, and legal professionals to ensure that new innovations are unique and do not infringe on existing intellectual property rights. However, the traditional methods of conducting patent searches, often reliant […]
The electric vehicle (EV) industry is undergoing a transformative phase, with innovation driving advancements and patents playing a pivotal role in securing intellectual property. As the global push for electrification intensifies, understanding patent trends provides insights into the technologies shaping the future of mobility and the competitive dynamics within the industry. Recent analysis of patent […]
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has announced updates to its fee schedule, effective January 19, 2025, aimed at addressing rising operational costs. These updates impact multiple areas of patent filing and prosecution, requiring applicants to revisit their strategies to manage expenses effectively. Let’s dive into the key changes and actionable strategies. Key […]
When it comes to patent protection, one of the most critical steps that inventors and businesses often overlook is conducting a thorough patent search before filing a patent application. A patent search is a comprehensive investigation into existing patents, patent applications, and other publicly available information to determine whether a new invention is novel, non-obvious, […]
Patent landscaping has become an essential tool for businesses, researchers, and legal professionals aiming to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of emerging technologies. It provides a comprehensive analysis of patent data, uncovering insights into technological trends, key players, and potential opportunities for innovation. As industries advance and new technologies emerge, understanding the intellectual property (IP) framework […]