USPTO Adds Design Search Codes for Sound and Motion Trademarks
The USPTO recently updated its Design Search Code Manual to include codes for sound and motion marks. These updates make it easier for applicants to search for existing marks that…
Do USPTO Fee Discounts Hurt Inventors’ Chances? Probably Not.
Recent USPTO data shows a sharp gap in patent allowance rates by entity size. Large entities saw about an 80% allowance rate, small entities around 61%, and micro-entities just 40%.…
The Shape of IPR Institution Under Director Squires
For a long time, inter partes review felt like gravity. If you owned a patent and someone filed an IPR, it was less a question of whether you’d be dragged…
A Shift in Section 101? What Recent PTAB Decisions Mean for Software Inventors
For years, Section 101 rejections have been the biggest obstacle for software and computer-implemented inventions. Recently, however, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) has been reversing those rejections at…
The USPTO’s Exciting Story: Almost Nothing Changed
Picture source: https://patentlyo.com/patent/2025/12/surprising-headline-stability.htmlThe USPTO’s 2025 patent data points to an unusual but welcome theme: stability. Utility patent issuances held essentially flat at about 326,000—nearly identical to 2024—continuing a plateau that…
What the USPTO’s 0% IPR Institution Rate Means for Patent Holders
USPTO Director Squires Imposes 0% Institution Rate Since October 2025, USPTO Director John Squires has personally taken control of IPR institution decisions — and the results are stark: every petition…
USPTO Launches AI “Pre-Examination Search” Pilot: What It Means for You
AI Pre-Examination Search Test Program The USPTO just kicked off a new pilot program: the Automated Pre-Examination Search, or ASRN*. The idea is simple—before a human examiner ever looks at…
USPTO Proposes Major IPR Changes: What Patent Owners Should Know
Proposed USPTO IPR Rules Could Strengthen Patent Protection The USPTO is considering rules that could fundamentally change how inter partes review (IPR) works. If finalized, these changes would make it…
The USPTO has suspended expedited examination of design applications
The USPTO has suspended expedited design applications to combat fraud. The PTO had suspended expedited examinations of design applications back on April 17, 2025. Now it has decided to eliminate…
USPTO to Charge Extra for Late Continuation Applications — Don’t Get Caught by the Six- and Nine-Year Traps
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) just rolled out a new “late-filing penalty” for continuation applications that come in six or nine years after the earliest priority date in…