Imagine That IP Law Blog

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today announced that the After Final Consideration Pilot Program 2.0 (AFCP 2.0) will be allowed to expire. Originally launched in 2013 to facilitate better interaction between patent applicants and examiners after a final rejection, AFCP 2.0 provided a framework for further consideration of claims without the need for expensive and time-consuming appeals or Requests for Continued Examination (RCEs). The program's expiration marks the end of a decade-long pilot, but the USPTO has extended the deadline for final requests ... Read More ›

Patent eligibility in the United States is governed by 35 U.S.C. § 101, which requires that an invention must fit within the categories of a process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter. However, even if an invention falls into one of these categories, it may still be ineligible for patent protection due to judicial exceptions that exclude laws of nature, natural phenomena, and abstract ideas. A common issue arises when patents claim a desired result without providing the specific method or process for achieving that result. In this blog post, we explore the legal ... Read More ›

Congratulations! You are ready to file a United States (U.S.) non-provisional patent application for your invention. This is a major milestone for any startup. But what comes next? Is it just a waiting game? Well ... maybe not.

A challenge with the standard patent process is that U.S. non-provisional patent applications are subject to the overburdened queues of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). USPTO statistics for an application show that the Traditional Total Pendency is 26.1 months to 42.9 months. (See Pendency Statistics USPTO from July of 2024). This means that ... Read More ›

UPDATE:  On September 30, 2024 The United States Patent and Trademark Office  announced that the After Final Consideration Pilot Program 2.0 (AFCP 2.0) will be allowed to expire. See The Expiration of the After Final Consideration Pilot Program 2.0 (AFCP 2.0)

Final rejections are inevitable in patent prosecution, often requiring patent practitioners and applicants to carefully consider their next steps. While a Request for Continued Examination (RCE) is a common option, it is not always the most cost-effective, especially when a response can be submitted within the shortened ... Read More ›

The case of Contour IP Holding LLC v. GoPro, Inc. is the first time since October 2021’s Cosmokey Sols. GMBH & Co. KG v. Duo Sec. LLC, 15 F.4th 1091  where the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has reversed a district court holding of ineligibility under 35 U.S.C. § 101. Accordingly, the Federal Circuit’s September 9, 2024 decision provides valuable insights into how patent eligibility is assessed, particularly for innovations related to video technology.

Background of the Case
Contour IP Holding LLC (“Contour”) filed suit against GoPro, Inc. (“GoPro”) for ... Read More ›

On September 3, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit rendered a significant decision in Broadband iTV, Inc. v. Amazon.com, Inc., which reaffirms the stringent approach towards patent eligibility under 35 U.S.C. § 101. The case concerned five patents owned by Broadband iTV (BBiTV), all related to video-on-demand technology and electronic program guides. BBiTV accused Amazon of infringing these patents, but Amazon successfully moved for summary judgment on the grounds that the patents claimed ineligible subject matter. The Federal Circuit affirmed ... Read More ›