Patent terms starting with A

40 terms

  1. 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.
  2. 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…
  3. Abandonment of Patent Application To relinquish, either by express abandonment or by inaction, a patent application.
  4. 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…
  5. 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
  6. Action Case, cause, suit or controversy disputed or contested before a court.
  7. 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…
  8. 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…
  9. 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…
  10. Affidavit A sworn statement in writing before a proper official, such as a notary public.
  11. 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).
  12. Allowance A decision by a patent office that an applicant is entitled to a patent on an invention. MPEP 1303.
  13. 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.
  14. Alpha Subclasses In the U.S. patent classification system, subclassed that have an alphabetical suffix. MPEP 902.01.
  15. 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…
  16. Annuity A life insurance contract sold by insurance companies, brokers, and other financial institutions. It is usually sold as a retirement investment.
  17. Anticipation A situation that exists when claimed invention is not novel in view of the prior art.
  18. Apparatus See Machine.
  19. 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…
  20. Appeal To call for a review of an IRS decision or proposed adjustment.
  21. 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.
  22. 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.
  23. Appelant A patent applicant who has appeal the decision of a patent Examiner to a higher authority. MPEP 1201.
  24. 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.
  25. 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…
  26. 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.
  27. Application Series A grouping of application serial numbers (the last six digits of the application number) having the same series code. MPEP 503.
  28. Application, Continuation A subsequent application for the same invention disclosed in a prior (regular or nonprovisional) application that is filed before the original application…
  29. 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…
  30. 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…
  31. 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…
  32. 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…
  33. Art Unit A subunit of a patent examining group. Also called Group Art Unit. MPEP 502.
  34. Article of Manufacture A product, a physical thing. There is no clear difference between an article of manufacture and a machine. Under U.S.
  35. ASSERT To assert a patent is to attempt to enforce it. To attempt to prevent an unlicensed party from practicing an invention.
  36. 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…
  37. 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…
  38. assignor the owner of record of a patent application, patent, trademark application or trademark registration who is transferring (assigning) ownership to another…
  39. 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.
  40. Auslegeschrift An examined German patent application (now eliminated).