First U.S. Patent Issued Under USPTO Accelerated U.S. Patent Review Program !!

Hello Inventors:

Lately many Inventors have been asking questions about the U.S. Patent Office's Accelerated Patent Application Review program. The program allows for a quick determination regarding the patentability of an invention (in about 12 months). This is a vast improvement over the USPTO's usual schedule, which is often years.

Well, the first patent has issued under the procedure! But to be fair, I should also mention that I did not see how many patent applications were rejected.

The procedure is a bit more complex than a regular patent application submission. In essence:

• the Inventor has a thorough patent search conducted including citations to particular classes of inventions;
  
• the Inventor is required to explain the difference between the references and the invention;
• the patent application is limited to a single invention;
• the patent application is limited to 3 independent and 20 total claims;
• a fee is required;
• support for all claims must be shown; and
  
• a few more requirements
  

Inventors may want to consider the accelerated review program if the invention is quite different from other references. If the Inventor is preparing a patent application that is in a crowded art, it may not be such a great idea because of the ease of issuing rejections.

More information about the patent process can be found by visiting our patent and trademark law firm web site.

Keep Inventing!

Raymond

Biotech Beach Law Group Adds FDA Practice

Hello Inventors:

In response to Inventors' requests for assistance in obtaining FDA clearance for patent pending products, Biotech Beach Law Group has expanded its services to include FDA representation for our Inventors. Our patent attorneys will help Inventors obtain FDA approval for certain classes of life science inventions.

We are initially launching our FDA service for our clients with patent pending products and will evaluate potential expansion of our FDA service throughout the year.

Keep Inventing!

Raymond

Google Patents for Patent Searching

Hello Inventors:

As a patent attorney, I frequently conduct patent searches to identify whether I believe an invention is new and non-obvious, each of which is required for a patent to issue. As you can imagine, the amount of time required to search and review patents and published patent applications can vary widely. One way legal fees can be reduced is for the inventor to do a little searching on their own using available databases.

Inventors often ask me how I perform patent searches. I use a subscription database. I am able to search not only U.S. patents and publications but also PCT international patent applications. However, I believe the inventor can make a lot of progress using free resources currently available.

Of course the primary database that inventors should visit is the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) searchable patent database (http://www.uspto.gov). However, I often hear that inventors have difficulties searching the database. Typical complaints include: the search results are not very clear; and it can be cumbersome.

There is another free option for inventors. Google has released Google Patents. Now the inventor can use Google to search previous patents. Just like performing a web search, video search or news search, patents can now be searched. I've played around with it a little bit, and it really isn't that bad. I suggest Inventors visit Google patents and give it a try.

Of course, it is a good idea to present your findings to a patent attorney. Patent attorneys can help identify differences between your invention and the identified documents. Remember, patents are legal documents, which are interpreted according to patent laws. A one to two hour consultation with a patent attorney may save thousands of dollars in product development. More information regarding the patent process and patent searching can be found at our firm web site.

Keep Googling and Keep Inventing!

Raymond