Before the USPTO was subject to a hiring freeze, it assumed it would onboard 400 new examiners between fiscal year 2025 and fiscal year 2026, and still predicted an increase in the backlog of unexamined patent applications....more
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO") has withdrawn its proposed rule regarding terminal disclaimer requirements....more
In a highly anticipated decision in Allergan v. MSN Labs., the Federal Circuit held yesterday that claims in a first-filed, first-issued, later-expiring patent cannot be invalidated for double patenting by claims in a...more
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) periodically evaluates the delicate balance of the U.S. patent system to protect innovation without excessively stifling competition. U.S. patents give patent owners the...more
July 17, 2024 Applicant-submitted terminal disclaimers tie similar co-owned patents to a common expiration date and typically serve to ensure that a later-filed continuation application lives no longer than its parent. The...more
This CLE webinar will guide patent counsel on obviousness-type double patenting (ODP), including the recent decisions that have relied on Cellect. The panel will also discuss the USPTO's proposed terminal disclaimer rule and...more
A recent case in the Western District of Oklahoma shines a spotlight on the patent danger posed by errors in a terminal disclaimer. In this case, a typographical error in the filed terminal disclaimer rendered an ensuing...more
On May 10, 2024, the US Patent & Trademark Office (PTO) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (Notice) concerning major changes to the terminal disclaimer (TD) practice, which may lead to a sea change in patent prosecution...more
On Friday, May 10, 2024, the USPTO issued a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register directed at amending the rules of practice to add a requirement for terminal disclaimers filed to overcome rejections for...more
Though there are many similarities between U.S. and Canadian patent law, the following significant differences can affect the key decision of whether to file in Canada. 1. Grace period time limit - Sections 28.2 and...more