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Semiconductor technology: What’s the difference between a fabless company, a foundry, and an IDM?
This blog post is the second in a series that discusses intellectual property (IP) opportunities for high-tech businesses looking to…
15 Mar 2019
CRAFTING AN EFFECTIVE PATENT STRATEGY: HOW FITBIT BUILT ITS PORTFOLIO
We’re starting a blog series that examines how successful startups have approached the patent process, and how those strategies dovetail…
21 Mar 2019
THE PROS AND CONS OF FIXED-FEE BUDGETS FOR PATENT PROSECUTION
I’ve served as outside patent counsel for tech companies of all sizes, and have found that there are both benefits…
25 Feb 2019
HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON YOUR PATENT PORTFOLIO: INVEST UPFRONT IN QUALITY PATENT FILINGS
When thinking about the cost of patents, people often focus entirely on the immediate (short-term) cost of…
21 Dec 2018
CRAFTING A SMART PATENT STRATEGY: 7 ADVANTAGES FOR TECH STARTUPS OVER LARGE COMPANIES
By building a robust patent portfolio, tech startups can gain a competitive edge in their industry: Increase…
18 Dec 2018
HOW TO ENSURE HIGH-QUALITY PATENTS IN EMERGING TECH FIELDS
Over the past decade or so, the U.S. patent system has evolved significantly, thanks to a combination of new legislation,…
16 Nov 2018
WHY TECH STARTUPS NEED TO PLAY OFFENSE WITH PATENTS (AND WHY BIG TECH COMPANIES DON’T)
Patents are valuable business assets, and a smart patent portfolio can give your tech company…
25 Oct 2018
MAPPING YOUR PATENT STRATEGY: 5 MILESTONES TO EVALUATE SUCCESS
Growing a technology enterprise requires strategic planning and coordination of fundraising efforts, research and development, sales and marketing, product releases,…
18 Oct 2018
CLARIFYING SECTION 101: USPTO DIRECTOR ANDREI IANCU PROPOSES NEW GUIDANCE
During last month’s Intellectual Property Owners Association 46th Annual Meeting, USPTO Director Andrei Iancu announced that the USPTO is considering “revised…
5 Oct 2018
ARIOSA V. ILLUMINA: DO PROVISIONAL PATENT APPLICATIONS COUNT AS PRIOR ART?
In a previous blog post, we discussed whether secret sales should count as prior art under the AIA. The Supreme Court…
28 Sep 2018
HELSINN V. TEVA: DO SECRET SALES COUNT AS PRIOR ART UNDER THE AIA?
In the patent world, the boundaries of what is considered prior art can be fuzzy and dynamic. The recent case of …
3 Jul 2018
PROSECUTING SOFTWARE PATENTS IN THE UNITED STATES: LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
In 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Alice Corp vs. CLS Bank that abstract ideas implemented on…
24 May 2018
SHOULD SOFTWARE STARTUPS SEEK PATENT PROTECTION?
Software patents are somewhat controversial in both the legal and technical worlds. There’s a well-documented public policy debate about whether…