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trademark registration
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patent application
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provisional patent
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protect idea
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fictitious business name DBA
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Shimokaji IP

Jul 26

HOW BROAD (OR VAGUE) SHOULD I MAKE MY PATENT APPLICATION?

A broadly written patent application can give the patent owner broad patent protection.

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Shimokaji IP

Jul 1

"GENERIC" TRADEMARKS MAY NOW BE EASIER TO OBTAIN FEDERAL TRADEMARK REGISTRATION

Trademarks are often categorized on a "distinctiveness" scale from generic, descriptive, suggestive, arbitrary, and to fanciful.

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Shimokaji IP

Jun 29

DOES YOUR INVENTION GO BEYOND COMMON SENSE TO MAKE IT PATENTABLE?

A challenge that most patent applicants face is whether their invention is obvious or non-obvious.

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Shimokaji IP

Jun 22

BEWARE OF A DISADVANTAGE AND TRAP WHEN FILING A PROVISIONAL PATENT APPLICATION

Some of the advantages of filing a provisional patent application are lower cost and faster time to file.

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Shimokaji IP

Jun 17

HOW DIFFICULT OR EASY IS IT TO PATENT SOFTWARE INVENTIONS?

In the past several years, it has no doubt become challenging to patent software inventions. However, it is still possible to obtain patents

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Shimokaji IP

Jun 15

HOW SIMILAR OR IDENTICAL MUST TWO THINGS BE FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT?

Patent infringement is determined by comparing the patented "claims" against the product that might be infringing.

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Shimokaji IP

May 22

SOFTWARE PATENT MUST PROVIDE ENOUGH DETAIL TO ENABLE ANOTHER TO MAKE AND USE THE INVENTION

the patent "specification shall contain a written description of the invention . . . in full, clear, and concise, and exact terms"

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Shimokaji IP

May 22

PREAMBLE IN A PATENT CLAIM MAY NOT ADEQUATELY DISTINGUISH YOUR INVENTION FROM THE PRIOR ART

The Federal Circuit explained that "'as a general rule preamble language is not treated as limiting.'"

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Shimokaji IP

May 20

IS FILING A PROVISIONAL PATENT BETTER OR WORSE THAN FILING A NON-PROVISIONAL (FULL) PATENT?

A provisional patent application is not necessarily better or worse than a non-provisional (utility) patent application in all situations.

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Shimokaji IP

May 7

WHAT IS A PATENT SEARCH OR PRIOR ART SEARCH?

The terms "patent search" and "prior art search" are often used interchangeably.

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Shimokaji IP

May 7

WHY YOU NEED A FREEDOM TO OPERATE SEARCH & OPINION (FTO)

Inventors often focus on the question of: can I get a patent? What is often ignored is: does my invention infringe another's patent?

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Shimokaji IP

May 7

DO I NEED A PATENT?

Yes, if you want to protect he unique way your product looks or the unique way your product (or service) functions.

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Shimokaji IP

Apr 18

ARE MEDICAL OR THERAPEUTIC TREATMENTS PATENTABLE IN EUROPE?

A treatment method that is patentable in the US may not be patentable in Europe. In fact, European patent laws (as opposed to court inter...

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Shimokaji IP

Apr 18

HOW MUCH CLINICAL DATA IS NEEDED IN A PATENT?

The problem of lack of clinical data to support the scope of patent claims in Europe is a similar problem in the US. Generally, broader c...

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Shimokaji IP

Apr 18

WHAT SHOULD I DO WHEN MY ONE YEAR IS EXPIRING ON MY PROVISIONAL PATENT APPLICATION?

QUESTION: I filed a provisional application almost one year ago, so it will soon be expiring. I'm not sure what are the next steps for my...

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Shimokaji IP

Apr 18

CAN I USE A TRADEMARK WHOSE REGISTRATION HAS BEEN CANCELLED OR EXPIRED?

QUESTION: What happens when a trademark is canceled due to default but owner still uses and protects it? There is a registered trademark ...

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Shimokaji IP

Apr 18

DOES YOUR PATENT ENABLE ANOTHER TO MAKE AND USE YOUR INVENTION?

It must, in order to satisfy the patent laws that require that the patent specification teach those in the art how to “make and use the i...

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Shimokaji IP

Apr 18

HOW CAN I PROTECT MY FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (DBA)?

QUESTION: How can I protect my DBA? I have a LLC registered, lets say under name XYZ, and I have a DBA, lets say ABC. I want to trademark...

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Shimokaji IP

Apr 18

IS IT SAFE TO DISCUSS MY INVENTION WITH A MANUFACTURER BEFORE I FILE A PATENT APPLICATION?

QUESTION: Is it safe to contact a manufacturer with just a provisional patent? I have a provisional patent instead of a non-provisional p...

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Shimokaji IP

Apr 18

CAN I PROTECT MY PRODUCT BY DESIGN PATENT OR COPYRIGHT OR BOTH?

One may have a product with a unique or unusual look. A question may arise as to whether the product may be protected by a design patent ...

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