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The Briefing: A Very Patented Christmas – The Quirkiest Inventions for the Holiday Season (Featured)
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The Briefing: The Patent Puzzle: USPTO's Guidelines for AI Inventions
The Briefing: The Patent Puzzle: USPTO's Guidelines for AI Inventions (Podcast)
In most commercially significant inventions, strategic filing of various types of “child” patent applications (patent applications extending from an original or “parent” patent application) in various worldwide jurisdictions...more
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has launched a new pilot program introducing an informational “Pre-Docketing Notice” for pending utility nonprovisional patent applications. This initiative is designed to...more
Inventions conceived or reduced to practice during the performance of work funded by the U.S. federal government are subject to various obligations under the Bayh-Dole Act. Fulfilling these obligations is important to...more
Our Intellectual Property Group examines a Federal Circuit decision that strengthens the case for software and network-based patents whose claims are grounded in specific technical solutions rather than framed as abstract...more
Despite periodic mentions by aerospace innovators of “secret patents,” this author is not aware of any evidence of such patents. There may be confusion with “Secrecy Orders,” which apply to patent applications, but not to...more
Artificial intelligence tools — from consumer-facing platforms to enterprise-deployed systems— are now deeply embedded in scientific, engineering, and product development workflows. The rise of generative AI and machine...more
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has introduced a new “Pre-Docketing Notice” pilot program aimed at improving transparency and efficiency in the patent examination process. Under this program, applicants...more
Personalized medicine continues to reshape life sciences innovation, but it also introduces unique challenges in today’s evolving legal landscape....more
A single word appeared 241 times in Enviro Tech’s patent specification. The word was “about.” Not once was it defined. In May 2026, the Federal Circuit invalidated all 27 asserted claims. Complete annihilation. Not because...more
As AI continues to advance at pace, securing patent protection for AI‑related inventions has become increasingly important, particularly for maintaining competitive advantage and attracting investment. But as with many...more
KEY TAKEAWAYS - • CPG companies often create patentable and protectable IP in packaging, formulation, manufacturing, sustainability, and brand-design work, not just in formal R&D. • Lost value usually comes from timing...more
Artificial intelligence plays an increasing role in the development of new products and technologies. From drug discovery to materials science to consumer electronics, AI tools are accelerating the inventive process in ways...more
This is the second installment in a two-part series examining the implications of using generative artificial intelligence (GAI) in the drafting and prosecution of patent applications. In part one, we discussed the privilege...more
AI tools are reshaping patent preparation and prosecution, but statements made to the USPTO are permanent, and AI-generated inaccuracies don’t come with warning labels. Efficiency gains are real, but so is the need for proper...more
For years, the debate surrounding artificial intelligence and patents has focused on a relatively simple question: Can AI be an inventor? At least in the United States, the answer is currently no. Inventors must be natural...more
You can't pick up a newspaper or magazine, watch a news program or social media post, or talk to a business owner without hearing about the latest rush to incorporate AI into all aspects of every business. While AI can be...more
The US Patent and Trademark Office recently announced a new “Pre-Docketing Notice” pilot program intended to increase transparency and improve examination efficiency for pending utility nonprovisional patent applications by...more
The USPTO announced a new pilot program that could streamline examination, improve examination efficiency, and help the USPTO use its examination resources more efficiently. The “Pre-Docketing Notice” pilot program also...more
The transformer architecture has reshaped modern artificial intelligence, powering large language models (LLMs), multimodal models, and bioinformatics platforms. Transformers rely on a defining computational operation: the...more
In the mid-2000s, the U.S. Patent Office (USPTO) determined that reexaminations would be more consistent and legally correct if performed by a centralized set of experienced and specially trained Examiners....more
Executive Summary - On April 30, 2026, USPTO Director John A. Squires issued updated guidance (superseding the December 4, 2025 Director’s “Best Practices” Memo) directing patent applicants and practitioners to file subject...more
You just closed a funding round. The wire hit, the board is excited, and it may feel like someone pressed the big red "launch" button. Securing capital is not crossing a finish line; it is strapping your company to a rocket....more
Key Takeaways - Design patents are powerful tools for protecting the visual appearance of products, packaging, surface ornamentation and other consumer-facing features, particularly in the consumer products and luxury goods...more
The USPTO’s new PIER Pilot Program requires applicants in selected PCT national stage applications to affirmatively decide whether to proceed with, delay, or abandon U.S. patent examination. Participation is mandatory for...more
This is the first installment in a two-part series examining the implications of using generative artificial intelligence (GAI) in the drafting and prosecution of patent applications. In this part, we address privilege and...more