As a business-savvy medical device executive, you likely are well versed on the value of utility patents. But are you aware that a design patent for your product can be an equally important component ...

The definition of a utility patent is a patent that covers “any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof.”[i] Utility patents ...

Companies routinely direct substantial resources to the development of new products, including designing exterior shapes and visual characteristics as well as technical and functional features. If you ...

“Unfortunately, not nearly enough individuals and companies are seeking design patent protection. In 2019, for example, there were 46,847 design patent applications filed, which represents 7.01% of ...

“The notion of patent-eligible subject matter applies only to utility patents. As a result, the enforcement of design patents avoids this potential area of dispute and attendant risk of invalidation, ...

The legal system in the United States provides several venues for securing the protection of a design. The appearance of a product can potentially be protected by the following types of IP right: ...

Why should a company research old patents and published applications in an environment of new manufacturing technologies and design techniques? There are several reasons. First, a company can learn ...

Market competition and a recent agbiotech case highlight the importance of deciding what is patentable subject matter. You have full access to this article via your institution. New plant varieties ...