Patent claims capture the scope of an invention and define the meets-and-bounds of protection available for the invention. A patent’s written description describes the invention and informs the meaning of the terms used in the patent claims. The USPTO interprets the meaning of words in the claims by referring primarily to the written description—and, on occasion, to other sources.
Damian Earley’s participation in Ohio Invention League helped propel him to invention successes, and motivate siblings. Damian was introduced to the invention league through a school assembly in second grade.
Inventor/entrepreneur Molly Wilson, who could have been on that plane, lives with added gratitude and purpose BY REID CREAGER
If an examiner has twice rejected your claims or issued a final rejection of your patent application, you may file an appeal before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB or the Board).
Panelists at “Invention-Con 2023: Building Tomorrow’s Innovation” were powerful reminders of the collaborative spirit of inventing and entrepreneurship; the indisputable importance of intellectual property; and a world of resources that are waiting to be utilized.
One year into my role as director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office—at the intersection of IP law, policy, and innovation—I am focused on impact.
In the 1880s, second assistant patent examiner Henry E. Baker took on a project that became his legacy: compiling the first list of African American patent holders. By studying and expanding on Baker’s work, we can get a much fuller picture of Black creators, trailblazers, and disruptors who helped invent modern America.
Pleasant Rowland’s Pleasant Company was a major risk: pricey toys and books for pre-teen girls that taught them about history. The 45-year-old former teacher and successful textbook author had gone with her husband to a conference.
A detailed specification, containing a description and other information illustrating the invention, is essential in the quest for a patent. When inventors submit a patent application, they must describe their invention in what is known as a specification. This contains a description and other information illustrating the invention.
With the support of Congress and President Biden—and the Sen. Patrick Leahy-led Unleashing American Innovators Act of 2022, signed into law on December 29—now is the moment to make lasting, sustainable change.
Conrad’s Nov. 19, 1969, feat during the second Apollo moon mission, Apollo 12, marked the apex of an unlikely NASA career. He also was co-inventor of a significant satellite communications technology.
In the November 2022 Inventors Digest, the USPTO told readers about inventors’ options if a patent examiner rejects a patent application. If a patent applicant receives a second or final rejection of his or her application, the applicant again has options.