In a landmark decision, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has overruled the longstanding test for assessing whether a design patent is considered obvious in view of prior art. This decision represents a pivotal...more
The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently updated its guidance for patent examiners and applicants in determining obviousness under 35 USC § 103, based on the US Supreme Court’s ruling in KSR Int’l Co. v. Teleflex...more
In a much-anticipated opinion that addresses an issue of first impression, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit narrowed the scope of “comparison prior art”―prior art considered by the fact finder during an...more
The US Patent and Trademark Office announced a notice of proposed rulemaking on May 16 that would create a separate design patent bar. The proposed changes would effectively expand the admission criteria for those who...more
The term “metaverse” first appeared in Neal Stephenson’s dystopian novel Snow Crash in 1992. Two decades later, the metaverse has evolved from a concept in print into an interactive and immersive reality. Its hyper-realistic...more
The Russian government has issued a decree to deny compensation to patentees from “unfriendly states” when their patents are used for Russia’s national security purposes. Additionally, the US Patent and Trademark Office has...more
The US Patent and Trademark Office has issued a request for public comment seeking the public’s input on whether design patent protection should extend to digital designs that encompass new and emerging technologies, such as...more
The benefits of clear surface shading in a design patent were highlighted in a recent district circuit decision, which found that purported contour or tangent edge lines added to the drawings to illustrate a transition edge...more
The Brexit “transition period” will come to an end on 31 December 2020, and from 1 January 2021, the United Kingdom will cease to follow EU rules. This brings significant changes to design law in the United Kingdom and...more
With each passing day, more US companies are voluntarily rising to answer the president’s call to manufacture face masks, ventilators, and other critical coronavirus (COVID-19) protective equipment, but without a government...more
Rapid advancements in medical device technology have brought unprecedented changes to the industry. Increasingly, innovative medical devices also combine developments from other industries such as software, hardware,...more
While the “Leave” result of the June 23 referendum will not have an immediate impact on intellectual property, the eventual British exit (“Brexit”) from the European Union could have long-term implications for IP protection...more
6/27/2016
/ Community Designs ,
EU ,
European Economic Area (EEA) ,
European Patent Office ,
European Union Trade Mark (EUTM) ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Member State ,
Patent Cooperation Treaty ,
Patent Filings ,
Patents ,
Referendum Votes ,
Trademarks ,
UK ,
UK Brexit ,
Unified Patent Court ,
Unified Patent System ,
Unitary Patent ,
Utility Patents ,
WTO