Patent applications encompass both legal and technical aspects, and are intended to address multiple audiences. This article provides tips to an inventor for reviewing a patent application.

Inventors have many choices to make regarding their inventions. For first time inventors in particular, these choices can be confusing. After developing a new invention, many believe (or are advised by friends) that the next step is to patent the invention. While this may be common wisdom, it is not commonly understood. Why patent a new invention? What does a patent really do for you?

Proper patent marking of an apparatus or system is vital to maintaining a solid intellectual property strategy. Without using proper patent marking methods, the public is not made aware of a pending patent application or an issued patent. Such lack of notice to the public may result in a substantial decrease in awarded damages from a patent infringement claim or a missed opportunity to warn third parties that you may soon have the right to stop them from making, using, selling, or importing your patented technology.

Patent law in the United States provides a one-year grace period for filing a provisional or utility patent application after the performance of certain commercial activities. Included in these commercial activities is the offering of an invention for sale. In such a case, if a provisional or utility patent application is not filed within one year of offering the invention for sale, the invention is considered donated to the public and no longer patentable.

In 1899, the Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Charles H. Duell said, “[E]verything that can be invented has been invented.” If this statement were true, there certainly would not be the delays in the USPTO that have become the norm. Over the years, the USPTO has tried many different remedies to increase productivity of the USPTO, while maintaining, or increasing, the quality of patents granted