Patent Trademark Blog

SEPTEMBER 11, 2024

Can you see a pending design patent application? No, US design patent applications are not published. Therefore, the public cannot monitor or search for a pending design patent application. Need to apply for a design patent? Why does it matter that design patent applications are not published?

Design Patent 52

Design Patent Patent Application Publishing Design 52

JD Supra Law

OCTOBER 11, 2024

Suppose you have a design for an ornamental appearance of an article and start producing the article. Subsequently, you receive notice from an owner of a design patent that you are infringing their patent. You conduct a prior art search and find some references related to the design.

Design Patent 61

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 61

IP Close Up

DECEMBER 3, 2024

In recent years design patents have come to have a more vital role in the intellectual property landscape. Design patents protect the ornamental aspects of Continue reading

Design Patent 52

Design Patent Design Designs Intellectual Property 52

Patently-O

MAY 21, 2024

by Dennis Crouch In a highly anticipated en banc decision, the Federal Circuit has overruled the longstanding Rosen-Durling test for assessing obviousness of design patents. Rejecting the argument that KSR did not implicate design patent obviousness, the court reasoned that 35 U.S.C. § GM Global Tech. Operations LLC , No.

Design Patent 119

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 119

JD Supra Law

JUNE 26, 2024

May 21, 2024) and its implications for design patents. The panel will discuss the new test for obviousness and what hurdles it will present for design patents. The panel will offer guidance addressing obviousness issues in design patents. GM Global Technology Operations L.L.C. By: Strafford

Design Patent 104

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 104

Patently-O

FEBRUARY 23, 2022

In our new paper, The Truth About Design Patents , we debunk three widely held—but incorrect—views about U.S. design patents. Taken together, these myths paint a grim picture of design patents: Half of all design patent applications are rejected. Acquiring Design Patents.

Design Patent 134

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 134

JD Supra Law

OCTOBER 23, 2024

7, 2024) - Designing functional features on a device will not make you an inventor for design patents on the device! CV 22-1377, 2024 WL 4436629 (D. The District of Delaware (“the court”) recently held that Apple Inc.’s The District of Delaware (“the court”) recently held that Apple Inc.’s By: Irwin IP LLP

Design Patent 61

Design Patent Design Designs Patent Application 61

IP Watchdog

NOVEMBER 15, 2023

Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today announced that a final rule will be published tomorrow, November 16, in the Federal Register implementing a design patent practitioner bar. A request for comments (RFC) was also published in October 22.

Design Patent 122

Design Patent Publishing Design Designs 122

JD Supra Law

JUNE 20, 2024

Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit sitting en banc recently overruled the long-standing test for determining obviousness of design patents in LKQ Corporation, Keystone Automotive Industries, Inc. Patent and Trademark Office (the USPTO) issued new guidelines for the examination of design patent applications.

Design Patent 66

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 66

JD Supra Law

SEPTEMBER 18, 2024

Federal Circuit and the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) reshaping the landscape of design patent law. These updates reflect a broader trend towards more flexible and inclusive IP protection, ensuring that innovators can better safeguard their relative designs. By: Bennett Jones LLP

Design Patent 73

Design Patent Patent Law Design Designs 73

JD Supra Law

AUGUST 12, 2024

Until now, case law has defined an “article of manufacture” solely for purposes of damages in design patent infringement actions. The federal court’s decision to reject this position has now harmonized the definition of an article of manufacture across multiple statutes.

Design Patent 105

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 105

Patently-O

JULY 23, 2024

For several years, the most controversial part of the design patent world was patenting of portions of a display screen. The chart above shows the year-over-year numbers of design patents issued claiming some form of an animated or transitional display. Janis, Virtual Designs , 17 Stan. MPEP 1504.01(a)(IV)

Design Patent 59

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 59

IP Law 360

JUNE 3, 2024

The Federal Circuit's decision discarding long-standing tests for proving that a design patent is invalid as obvious means the world has changed for patent examiners and applicants, attorneys said, and the new standard could lead to more design patent applications being turned down.

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Design Patent Design Designs Patent 98

Patently-O

MAY 24, 2024

GM decision, the USPTO issued a memorandum to its examiners providing updated guidance and examination instructions in light of the court’s overturning of the long-standing Rosen-Durling test for determining obviousness of design patents.

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Design Patent Design Designs Art 130

Patently-O

FEBRUARY 7, 2022

WIPO administers the WIPO-administered Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs. In 2015, the US linked its design patent system with Hague — this gives U.S. designers easier access to global design rights; and non-U.S. design patent system. by Dennis Crouch.

Design Patent 144

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 144

JD Supra Law

JUNE 19, 2024

Since the inception of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“PTAB”) in 2012, design patents obtained a higher rate of favorable results in Inter Partes Reviews (“IPRs”) and Post Grant Reviews (“PGRs”) than utility patents. By: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.

Design Patent 63

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 63

Patently-O

JUNE 22, 2022

Evo’s design patent claims an “ ornamental design for a foldable bag ” as shown in the figures above. district court held the patent invalid as both functional and obvious; and also not infringed. Functionality : Design patents focus on ornamentality rather than utility. by Dennis Crouch.

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Design Patent Design Designs Patent 141

JD Supra Law

JULY 26, 2024

In a recent en banc decision, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals has overruled its prior test for nonobviousness of design patent inventions, holding that design patents are subject to the same test as utility patents. LKQ Corporation v. GM Global Technology Operations (Federal Circuit, May 21, 224).

Design Patent 66

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 66

Patently-O

JUNE 20, 2022

Companies associated with William Grecia have filed over a dozen cases alleging infringement of design patents for “animated graphical user interfaces.” The patent asserted in that case, U.S. D930,702 , was issued in 2021 and claims a “design for a display screen portion with animated graphical user interface.”

Design Patent 98

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 98

Patent Trademark Blog

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

Is it too late to apply for a design patent after product sales? Should they apply for a design patent first or sell the product and see how it goes? If you sell first, have you lost the ability to obtain a patent? How long after selling a product can you still file a design patent?

Design Patent 52

Design Patent Design Designs Patent Application 52

JD Supra Law

MAY 24, 2024

On May 21, 2024, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued an en banc opinion overruling the long-standing Rosen-Durling test for obviousness of design patents in favor of the analytical framework used for utility patents outlined in Graham v. John Deere Co. and KSR Int’l Co. Teleflex Inc. LKQ Corporation et al.

Design Patent 108

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 108

IP Law 360

MAY 21, 2024

The full Federal Circuit on Tuesday overruled long-standing tests for proving that design patents are invalid as obvious, finding that the rules are "improperly rigid" and holding that the obviousness test for utility patents should be used instead.

Design Patent 105

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 105

JD Supra Law

MAY 23, 2024

Unlike utility patents, which are frequently invalidated on obviousness grounds, design patents historically faced a rigid test making obvious findings rare.

Design Patent 63

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 63

Patent Trademark Blog

FEBRUARY 22, 2023

Are there any requirements for getting a design patent? Design patents can be quite powerful. Even though design patents are easier to get than utility patents, it is still possible for a design application to be rejected. 35 USC 171 sets forth the requirements for getting a design patent.

Design Patent 98

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 98

JD Supra Law

SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

On August 6, 2024, the PTAB issued its first written decision applying a new test for obviousness of design patents. In Next Step Group, Inc. Deckers Outdoor Corp., IPR2024-00525, Paper 16 (P.T.A.B. 6, 2024) (“Decision”), the PTAB applied the test pronounced by the Federal Circuit in LKQ Corp. Operations LLC, 102 F.4th

Design Patent 63

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 63

IP Watchdog

NOVEMBER 17, 2024

Design Patent #D1,050,634 from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Design Application #29888619, titled “Rope Throw Dog Toy” on September 18, 2024, and the patent was issued on November 5, 2024. And on Friday, November 15, I received my official patent in the mail.

Design Patent 52

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 52

JD Supra Law

JUNE 6, 2024

GM Global, the Federal Circuit overruled the Rosen-Durling test for design patent obviousness, jettisoning decades-old precedent and loosely outlining a design patent obviousness test that aligns with the standard for utility patents.

Design Patent 66

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 66

The IP Law Blog

FEBRUARY 2, 2023

Design patents and utility patents are two different things. Design patents protect ornamental designs, such as the shape of a perfume bottle or the design on flatware. To be patentable, however, both designs and functional inventions must satisfy two requirements. Telflex, Inc.,

Design Patent 98

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 98

JD Supra Law

AUGUST 1, 2024

In today’s competitive market, the visual appeal and unique ornamental design of a product can be as crucial to its success as its name or functionality. One way to protect the look and feel of your company’s products is with a design patent. By: McAfee & Taft

Design Patent 66

Design Patent Design Designs Intellectual Property 66

JD Supra Law

JULY 25, 2024

Of those ten investigations, two involved design patents. Ten Section 337 Investigations were terminated in the first half of 2024.

Design Patent 73

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 73

JD Supra Law

JULY 9, 2024

Need another reason to secure and enforce design patents? Design patents offer a unique additional remedy in district court litigation: profit disgorgement. See 35 U.S.C. By: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.

Design Patent 63

Design Patent Design Designs Litigation 63

JD Supra Law

FEBRUARY 23, 2023

In 2022, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) did not issue any final written decisions involving design patents. However, it did issue three decisions granting review of challenged design patents and three decisions denying review of challenged design patents, maintaining 2021’s design patent institution rate of 50%.

Design Patent 98

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 98

JD Supra Law

MARCH 15, 2024

A seemingly innocuous Instagram post by Rihanna is the reason that a Puma design patent* was held invalid. Last week, the General Court of the European Union affirmed the decision of a lower tribunal, invalidating Puma’s application on the grounds that the design had been publicly disclosed prior to the application’s filing date.

Design Patent 68

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 68

JD Supra Law

DECEMBER 7, 2023

The US Patent & Trademark Office (PTO) published its final rule, creating a separate design patent bar where admitted design patent practitioners will practice in design patent proceedings only. (88 78644 (Nov. 16, 2023).). By: McDermott Will & Emery

Design Patent 66

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 66

JD Supra Law

DECEMBER 12, 2023

Last month, the United States Patent and Trademark Office published Supplemental Guidance for examination of design patent applications related to computer-generated electronic images.

Design Patent 112

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 112

JD Supra Law

MAY 18, 2023

The US Patent and Trademark Office announced a notice of proposed rulemaking on May 16 that would create a separate design patent bar. The proposed changes would effectively expand the admission criteria for those who practice in design patent cases before the USPTO. By: Morgan Lewis

Design Patent 98

Design Patent Design Designs Patent 98

JD Supra Law

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

The law surrounding validity, infringement, claim construction, and damages in the design patent context is notably less developed than in the utility patent context. Nevertheless, courts have fashioned a robust body of case law to guide their decisions in these disputes.

Design Patent 71

Design Patent Design Designs Litigation 71