Patents
ATL offers an optimized patent prosecution approach to accurately capture the invention and achieve allowances with the fewest possible office actions in the shortest time duration.
This focus has made ATL a “go-to” firm for NASA, the Department of Defense, and many of Silicon Valley’s well-known technology companies. ATL also has an established international patent practice, which is highly regarded by our client companies in Asia, Europe, and throughout the world.
Here are the highlights of this process.
Obtaining Disclosure
Disclosure means not only reviewing what the inventor has written, but also interviewing the inventor to ensure the full scope of the invention’s commercial potential has been captured.
Identifying Markets and Embodiment
Often, if the inventor is willing, we will perform a patent search that offers insight into the commercial potential for the invention and elicit feedback from the inventor. For example, this may include identifying annual reports and press releases to identify competitive activity that is not reflected in patent applications, but which should be considered in determining claims.
This commercial analysis is unique to ATL and results in a broader and more valuable protection. By taking time to identify clients’ competition, we are able to draft more valuable and comprehensive claims.
Drafting a Quality Application
ATL firm uses teams of two or more dynamically involved professionals to produce high-quality written documents. ATL” meticulously researches and reviews patent application to include as many detailed examples and viable alternatives to cover multiple “embodiments” of the invention in the initial filing .
ATL carefully selects claim language and control how it is interpreted. Our patent attorneys focus on the legal and semantic aspects of an application, which are as critical as the depth of the scientific disclosure. We ensure that adequate support is provided for each claim term.
We also take pride in drafting claims that not only cover our client’s invention, but also provide adequate scope with the competition in mind. It is our goal to provide a first draft that is substantially complete, and will be ready for filing without undue revision cycles.
Expediting Prosecution
During patent prosecution, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will issue one or more Office Actions. The Office Actions from the USPTO which cite prior art outline reasons for rejecting or objecting to an application on the basis of grounds such as obviousness and lack of novelty or enablement.
This process can take one or more cycles, but within a few weeks of receiving an office action ATL will respond and negotiate all issues that present obstacles to allowance.
Resolving Issues Through Communication
ATL attorneys routinely request Examiner interviews to negotiate with Examiners to determine which amendments may be made to the claims or parts of the application in an attempt to reach an agreement that the Examiner’s rejections have been overcome.
This is particularly important, so we generally provide our clients with guidance at each step to ensure that resulting claims will protect our client’s IP innovations.
International Patent Protection
In addition to obtaining expedited US Patent Protection, ATL has obtained international protection for hundreds of patent clients filing applications in more than 52 countries where meaningful patent protection can be obtained.