Question: How can patent applications be sent to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office? Answer: All applications (provisional and nonprovisional) may b...

Question: What are the application filing dates for purposes of determining whether a patent is subject to payment of maintenance fees? Answer: Applic...

Question: Can social media websites like Facebook be a source of prior art? Answer: Social media websites on the Internet, such as YouTube, Twitter, F...

Question: What are the types of papers that may be filed and processed electronically? Answer: Registered users may use EFS-Web to submit web-based do...

Question: When does a Markush claim contain an ‘improper Markush grouping’? Answer: A Markush claim contains an “improper Markush grouping” if either:...

Question: When may the claims of a new application be finally rejected in the first Office action? Answer: The claims of a new application may be fina...

Question: Who will be listed in the assignee section of a patent? Answer: The real party in interest will be listed in the assignee section of the pat...

Question: If the Office made a material mistake in a patent application publication that is apparent from the Office records and applicant wishes to c...

Question: When is a rejection on the ground of lack of utility appropriate? Answer: A rejection on the ground of lack of utility is appropriate when: ...

Question: What are the reasons why the prior art element should not be considered an equivalent to the invention disclosed in the specification? Answe...