Tag: Patent Attorney
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Lots of inventors means lots of problems.
There are many patents that have many inventors. It is not uncommon to see 4, 5, 6, or even more inventors listed on a patent. In fact, there are over 200 patents with at least…
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The Myth of an Early Filing Date for a Patent
Updated 23 Oct 2025 Early filing dates are almost always a bad thing, not a good one. Many entrepreneurs are often lulled filing patent applications – especially provisional applications – because they are told that…
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Low Hanging Fruit: How Patent Searches Make Your Patent More Valuable
References and Information Disclosure Statements One easy way to spot an above-average patent is the References Cited on the front page. The references are specific pieces of prior art that the examiner considered when evaluating…
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Two Parts of a Patent Application: What You Give Away and What You Get In Return
Patent applicants are told that they are getting a “monopoly” on their invention, and that leaves out half of the equation. Patent applications come in two parts – the specification and the claims. The specification…
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You – And Only You – Are Responsible for Your Patent
The sad story of how an inventor was taken advantage of by his patent attorney. In 1989, Steven Byrne invented an accessory to a string trimmer – the ubiquitous ‘weed whacker’ used for landscaping. Mr.…
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The Importance of Patent Searches
The easiest way to make your patent more valuable: do a patent search. One of the first things everyone sees, including me as I start a patent valuation[1] analysis, is the list of references on…
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Feedback – and the Truth
Good feedback needs to hurt. Anyone who is trying to pitch a new business idea needs to hear the hard truth, whether or not you are an entrepreneur doing the angel investment circuit or you…
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Investment Grade Patents are not for Patent Trolling
They are for business negotiations. Patent trolling is the business of extortion. Generally, patent trolling is when someone sues for patent infringement[1] but is willing to settle for less than the cost of litigation. It…
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Walking Dead and Their Patents
The Myth that You Want An Early Filing Date When I studied for the patent bar exam, it seemed that every other question was about priority dates. The priority date is when time stands still. …
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Patents Enable Innovation – not the other way around
Sophisticated companies view patents as *enabling* innovation, not as a result of it. This comes from a much more holistic view of IP protection. Startups and first time entrepreneurs/inventors focus on “protecting” their investment in…