Intellectual Property terms starting with A

66 terms

ABA # American Bankers Association number - often referred to as the "transit routing number", is the nine (9) digit electronic address of a financial…
abandonment Process by which the debtors estate would not benefit by the sale of certain property so the trustee will turn it back over to the debtor.
Abandonment of Invention To relinguish rights in an invention. In the U.S., an invention is considered to be abandoned, if within a reasonable time after the invention is…
Abandonment of Patent Application To relinquish, either by express abandonment or by inaction, a patent application.
ABC activity based cost accounting - an accrual-based accounting method for determining unit-based costs of delivering services by allocating the costs to…
ABM activity based management - a management methodology that combines ABC with business process analysis techniques to run, improve and measure performance…
Absolute Novelty A requirement of some patent offices (but not the USPTO) that public disclosure or sale of an invention anywhere in the world cannot occur prior to the…
ABSS Automated Biotechnology Sequence Search See PSIPS to access sequence searching online
Abstract of the Disclosure A concise statement of the technical disclosure including that which is new in the art to which the invention pertains -- see MPEP 608.01(b) for more
Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual This manual lists numerous examples of identifications of goods and services that are acceptable to the USPTO for inclusion in trademark applications and…
ACH Automated Clearing House - a nationwide batch-oriented electronic funds transfer system governed by the NACHA (National Automated Clearing House…
Action Case, cause, suit or controversy disputed or contested before a court.
active inducement to infringe One may be held liable for patent infringement as a result of actively encouraging another to infringe if such other does infringe, even though the…
Administrative Instructions set out the provisions and requirements in relation to the filing and processing of the international (patent) application under the PCT and are…
Admissions by Applicant A statement by an applicant for patent that can or is used to deny the patentability of an invention, in some cases regardless of whether the statement is…
ADS Application Data Sheet
Advisory Action An action advising an applicant of the status of an application, typically advising him/her that the amendment filed just prior to the mailing of the…
Affidavit A sworn statement in writing before a proper official, such as a notary public.
agent (patent) (may be referred to as a practitioner or representative) - one who is not an attorney but is authorized to act for or in place of the applicant(s) before…
aggregation A ground for rejection of a patent claim that is based on a lack of cooperation among the elements of an invention. MPEP 2173.05(k).
AIPA American Inventors Protection Act of 1999 -- see MORE
AIPLA American Intellectual Property Law Association
AIS automated information system
ALC Agency Location Code - an eight (8) digit code assigned to U.S. government agencies by the Department of Treasury.
allegation of use a sworn statement signed by the applicant or a person authorized to sign on behalf of the applicant attesting to use of the mark in commerce.
Allowance A decision by a patent office that an applicant is entitled to a patent on an invention. MPEP 1303.
Allowance, Notice of A written notice by a patent office that an applicant is entitled to a patent on an invention. In the U.S.
Alpha Subclasses In the U.S. patent classification system, subclassed that have an alphabetical suffix. MPEP 902.01.
amendment A change in any part of a patent application made after it is filed. Also, the communication from the applicant to a patent office directing or requesting…
amendment to allege use (AAU) a sworn statement signed by the applicant or a person authorized to sign on behalf of the applicant attesting to use of the mark in commerce.
Annex F written specifications of the application-body document type definition (EFS' filename is application-body.
Annuity A life insurance contract sold by insurance companies, brokers, and other financial institutions. It is usually sold as a retirement investment.
Anticipation A situation that exists when claimed invention is not novel in view of the prior art.
APMS automated project management system
Apparatus See Machine.
apparatus claim This refers to a patent claim, which describes structurally a piece of equipment and is embraced by the expression "machine" in the definition of…
Appeal To call for a review of an IRS decision or proposed adjustment.
appeal (patent) -- see BPAI for info on patent appeals
appeal (trademark) An applicant who wants to contest a final refusal from an examining attorney may file an appeal to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.
Appeal Brief A written communication submitted to a higher authority reviewing an adverse patentability decision (rejection of a claim) by an Examiner. In the U.S.
Appeal, Notice of A written communication to a patent office indicating that an adverse patentability decision (rejection of a claim) by an Examiner will be appealed.
Appelant A patent applicant who has appeal the decision of a patent Examiner to a higher authority. MPEP 1201.
Applicant inventor or joint inventors who are applying for a patent on their own invention, or the person mentioned in 37 CFR 1.42, 1.43 or 1.
Application Under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), an oral or written request for an extension of credit that is made in accordance with the procedures…
Application (for Patent) A document describing a claimed invention and requesting that a patent on the claimed invention be granted to an applicant. In the U.S.
application (patent) an application for patent filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) that includes all types of patent applications (i.e.
application (trademark) a document by which a person requests a federal trademark registration. To receive a filing date, an application must include (1) the applicant's name…
application number (patent) the unique number assigned to a patent application when it is filed. The application number includes a two digit series code and a six digit serial number
Application Series A grouping of application serial numbers (the last six digits of the application number) having the same series code. MPEP 503.
Application, Continuation A subsequent application for the same invention disclosed in a prior (regular or nonprovisional) application that is filed before the original application…
Application, Continuation-in-Part An application by the same applicant repeating a substantial portion or all of an earlier (regular or nonprovisional) application and adding matter not…
Application, Divisional A later application "carved out of" an earlier application for an invention that is disclosed in the earlier application but that is distinct or…
apportionment of profit As a measure of damages in patent-infringement litigation, apportionment generally refers to dividing the profits on the sale of a particular piece of…
arbitrary marks comprise words that are in common linguistic use but, when used to identify particular goods or services, do not suggest or describe a significant…
art or prior art A term used in consideration of the problem of patentable novelty encompassing all that is known prior to the filing date of the application in the…
Art Unit A subunit of a patent examining group. Also called Group Art Unit. MPEP 502.
Article of Manufacture A product, a physical thing. There is no clear difference between an article of manufacture and a machine. Under U.S.
ASEAN Association of South East Asian Nations
ASSERT To assert a patent is to attempt to enforce it. To attempt to prevent an unlicensed party from practicing an invention.
assignee the entity that is the recipient of a transfer of a patent application, patent, trademark application or trademark registration from its owner of record…
Assignment Assignment occurs when someone who has written, or sold, a listed option receives a notice that the option has been exercised and he or she must fulfill…
assignor the owner of record of a patent application, patent, trademark application or trademark registration who is transferring (assigning) ownership to another…
ATO authority to operate
Attorney A person who has been qualified by a state or federal court to provide legal services, including appearing in court.
attorneys' fees award In exceptional cases in patent infringement litigation, the court may require the losing party to pay the attorneys' fees of the prevailing party.
Auslegeschrift An examined German patent application (now eliminated).