Patent applications are critical to innovation and intellectual property protection, yet they can often be expensive, complex, and time-consuming to process. Fortunately, there is an increasingly popular alternative: the Design Patent Rocket Docket. This docket can dramatically reduce the time it takes to process a design patent application, making it easier for inventors to protect their valuable intellectual property. In this article, we will discuss the benefits of the Design Patent Rocket Docket, what it entails, and how it can be used to benefit innovative inventors.
Design patents are becoming increasingly popular because they can be used to protect a wide variety of designs, including computer interfaces, graphical user interfaces, desktop and mobile applications, and even websites. In addition, design patents are less expensive and time-consuming to obtain than utility patents.
The Design Patent Rocket Docket is a program that was established by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The program is designed to expedite the processing of design patent applications. In order to be eligible for the program, an applicant must file a petition requesting special treatment, and the petition must be granted by the USPTO. The petition request includes payment of a fee, as well as providing initial search results for review by the examiner.
After an applicant is granted a petition for special treatment, their design patent application is placed on the Rocket Docket track. The USPTO has set a goal of processing design patent applications within 12 months.
Commonly, the applications are examined 3 months after filing, resulting in an allowance three to four months after filing, and upon prompt payment of the issue fee, an issued patent around 6 months after filing.
This is a significant speed increase as compared to the standard timeline of examination around 18 months after filing.
Applicants have found this to be a cost-effective means of obtaining design patent protection more quickly, and correspondingly able to enforce against infringers.
If you have questions about this process, please contact Larson and Larson to discuss with a patent attorney or agent.