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.

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Design Patent Publishing Designs Design 122

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

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Design Patent Patent Law Designs Design 73

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.

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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.

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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.

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Design Patent Designs Design Patent 105

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 Designs Design 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

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Design Patent Designs Design Patent 63

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?

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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. Seymour & Andrew W. 183 (2013). & TRADEMARK OFF.

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Design Patent Designs Design Patent 59

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).

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Design Patent Designs Design Patent 66

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.

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Design Patent Designs Design Patent 144

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.

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Design Patent Designs Design 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.

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Design Patent Designs Design 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.

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Design Patent Designs Design Patent 63

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 Designs Design Art 130

JD Supra Law

JULY 19, 2024

A recent Federal Circuit decision overturning the long-standing obviousness test for design patents could have wide-ranging implications for design patent owners. The en banc decision in LKQ Corp.

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Design Patent Designs Design Patent 63

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.

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Design Patent Designs Design Patent 66

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.

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Design Patent Designs Design Patent 63

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.

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Design Patent Designs Design 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.

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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.

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Design Patent Designs Design Patent 98

JD Supra Law

AUGUST 1, 2024

One way to protect the look and feel of your company’s products is with a design patent. Protecting the distinctive look and feel of your company’s products can enhance brand identity, protect against knockoffs, and help ensure the broadest possible protection of your company’s intellectual property. By: McAfee & Taft

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Design Patent Designs Design Intellectual Property 66

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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IP Law 360

SEPTEMBER 3, 2024

s design patent and that McCain Foods' own fry design patent was invalid, but also found that J.R. After a seven-day trial in Idaho federal court, a jury found that McCain Foods USA Inc. willfully infringed its frozen french fry rival J.R. Simplot Co.'s Simplot should not collect any damages from the infringement.

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Design Patent Designs Design Patent 52

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%.

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Design Patent Designs Design Patent 98

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

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Design Patent Designs Design 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.

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Design Patent Designs Design Patent 98

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.

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Design Patent Designs Design 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

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Design Patent Designs Design Patent 98

IP Law 360

MAY 20, 2024

Supreme Court on Monday refused to review a Federal Circuit ruling that revived Columbia Sportswear's design patent suit against Seirus Innovative Accessories Inc., which Seirus said created an "illogical, unworkable test" for design patent cases.

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Design Patent Designs Design Patent 59

JD Supra Law

FEBRUARY 14, 2023

Utility patents are for functional inventions. Design patents protect the look of something functional, regardless of whether the functional aspects are new. Because of this, a popular use of design patents is to protect the outside of common consumer products. What’s more common than the written word?

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Design Patent Designs Design 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.

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Design Patent Designs Design Patent 68

JD Supra Law

OCTOBER 21, 2024

Please join Fitch Even for a free webinar, “Navigating the Changes to the Test for Obviousness in Design Patents After LKQ Corp. This webinar will explore the changes in the test for obviousness of design patents in light of the Federal Circuit’s recent decision in LKQ Corp. PDT / 10:00 a.m. MDT / 11:00 a.m.

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Design Patent Designs Design Patent 58

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.

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Design Patent Designs Design Litigation 71

JD Supra Law

MAY 23, 2024

Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit overruled a decades-old test for obviousness of design patents. In a recent en banc panel decision, the U.S.

Design Patent 63

Design Patent Designs Design Patent 63

JD Supra Law

JUNE 7, 2024

In a landmark decision, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has overruled the longstanding test for assessing whether a design patent is considered obvious in view of prior art.

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Design Patent Designs Design Patent 61

IP Watchdog

MAY 23, 2024

Applications for design patents have surged in recent years, with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) reporting a 20% increase in applications over the last five years.

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