TOPTEAM’s patent attorney Henry Lin was invited to share his expertise in patent search and drafting with undergraduate and graduate students at the National Cheng Kung University on Oct 28, 2020. The techniques shared, during two half-day sessions, are very useful in preparation for patent application and strategy planning.
Continue reading
To increase efficiency and quality of EPO service, the office has introduced a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor examiners’ performance in recent years. The performance rating system greatly boosts the office productivity but has its downsides, too. Under the current KPI system, search report in each case is awarded most points, meanwhile, a refusal action is awarded more points than a further written opinion or oral proceeding.
Continue reading
Experts from Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP (BSKB) and Haseltine Lake LLP (HL) were invited to speak at a joint seminar organized by Top Team on November 28, 2018. They presented a variety of topics including the “Trademark Use in Commerce” requirement and the Post Registration Proof of Use Audit Program in the US; Brexit’s Impact on EU trademarks and designs, and an Update on EPO’s Guidelines for Examination.
Continue reading
Compared with the non-obviousness (inventive step) requirement for patentability in other countries, the 35 U.S.C. §103 determines obviousness in its own unique way. Quintero explained the legal and practical frameworks of obviousness rejections, in simple language, as well as the practical framework of response to obviousness rejections, and common errors or pitfalls in responses to obviousness rejections.
Continue reading
Boosted by government policies, the number of valid registered trademarks in China grows fast and is now close to 15 million. That also brings along challenges such as trademark squatting, confusing similarity among other issues for trademark owners. As for patent prosecution and enforcement, any company with an expanded market reach or with an increase in patenting activities may find strategic thinking has become crucial in the face of the baffling complexity of patent protection.
Continue reading