As a patent holder has the exclusive right to make, use, sell or import the invention, a new patent application would not be granted if the application contains the specifics resembles a granted patent. Therefore, a new patent applicant would usually...
patent law
patent troll
Disparaging term for a person or company that hoards patents for the purpose of threatening alleged infringers with legal action. Usually, the patent troll holds patents that are vague and ambiguous and seeks to enforce patent rights extending beyond...
plant patent
Different from a tuber propagated plant or a plant found in an uncultivated state, a plant patent refers to a plant that is invented or discovered and asexually reproduced, and is granted patent by the USPTO. The patent lasts for 20 years from the...
PPA
A provisional patent application (PPA) is an application an inventor files before the formal patent claim is ready. A PPA allows the inventor to use the PPA filing date in a later filed nonprovisional patent application. Filing dates are...
prior art
Prior art is a concept in patent law that refers to all information of an invention that is publicly available. Prior art is crucial in patent examination as it helps patent examiners determine whether an invention meets the novelty and...
priority
Priority refers to the order of preference given to different interests or rights. Priority appears in multiple areas of law regarding debt, equity, bankruptcy, and patents. The most common appearance of priority arises in relations among...
private property
Private property refers to the ownership of property by private parties - essentially anyone or anything other than the government. Private property may consist of real estate, buildings, objects, intellectual property (copyright, patent,...
property
Property is anything (items or attributes/tangible or intangible) that can be owned by a person or entity. Property is the most complete right to something; the owner can possess, use, transfer or dispose of it. According to California Civil...
provisional patent application (PPA)
A provisional patent application, or PPA, is an application an inventor files before the formal patent claim is ready. A PPA allows the inventor to establish an early effective filing date in a later filed nonprovisional patent application.
...PTO
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or just PTO) is the federal agency responsible for granting U.S. patents and registering U.S. trademarks. The USPTO is the sole entity capable of granting patents and trademarks legally...