What Is "State of the Art" for a Patent in the US?

What do "state of the art" and "prior art" mean in US patent law? The terms "state of the art" and "prior art" are closely related and translate to "state of the art" in German. This article will provide an overview of prior art in US patent law and also discuss the differences between the two terms. In the context […]

Digitalization in patent law: DPMA joins WIPO DAS

Digitalization in patent law: DPMA joins WIPO DAS Since November 25, 2024, the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA) has been part of the Digital Access Service (DAS) of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). This significantly simplifies the international filing of patents and utility models. For companies and applicants, this means one thing above all: less effort, [...]

patent granting procedures in the USA

Patent granting procedure: How European companies can protect their inventions in the USA When it comes to protecting an invention in the USA with a patent, the patent granting procedure must be completed before the USPTO. In the United States, a distinction is made between utility patents, design patents and plant patents, with utility patents being divided into provisional and nonprovisional applications […]