Summer Associate Michael Nathanson also contributed to this article. Since the inception of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“PTAB”) in 2012, design patents obtained a higher rate of favorable ...

July 31, 2023 - Design patents and utility patents have co-existed in harmony — each staying in its own lane, covering its own subject matter — for over 180 years. The U.S. Patent Act was enacted in ...

“The notion of patent-eligible subject matter applies only to utility patents. As a result, the enforcement of design patents avoids this potential area of dispute and attendant risk of invalidation, ...

We collaborate with the world's leading lawyers to deliver news tailored for you. Sign Up for any (or all) of our 25+ Newsletters. Some states have laws and ethical rules regarding solicitation and ...

Demand for design patent protections has been increasing in the last decade, and there is no indication that this trend will slow down. James Rieke, partner at Merchant & Gould, spoke to Minnesota ...

On January 23, 2016, Applicant Bonnie Floyd filed a utility patent application claiming a cooling blanket with ventilated openings along a matrix of sealed compartments. The utility application ...

“Unfortunately, not nearly enough individuals and companies are seeking design patent protection. In 2019, for example, there were 46,847 design patent applications filed, which represents 7.01% of ...

One of the earliest innovations in personal computing was the application of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) as an intermediary between users and computer programs. This innovation made computers ...

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE: Image of the design patent issued to a Texas cosmetologist. (Courtesy U.S. Patent and Trademark Office) The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria, Virginia, issued its ...