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Patent Roulette: Understanding Your Odds with Allowance Rates

Patent Roulette: Understanding Your Odds with Allowance Rates

Devin Miller
By Devin Miller

Navigating the USPTO’s patent system can feel like playing roulette. Understanding art unit allowance rates, examiner tendencies, and appeal success rates can help you strategize...

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Office Actions & Advisory Actions: Patent Law’s Never-Ending Dance

Office Actions & Advisory Actions: Patent Law’s Never-Ending Dance

Devin Miller
By Devin Miller

Understanding Patent Office Actions and Advisory Actions is crucial for navigating the USPTO process. Learn what these terms mean, how to respond, and the best...

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Why the USPTO Hates ‘Means for Doing Things’ in Patents

Why the USPTO Hates ‘Means for Doing Things’ in Patents

Devin Miller
By Devin Miller

Means-plus-function claims in patents can lead to rejection if they lack structural detail. The USPTO scrutinizes these claims under 35 U.S.C. §112(f), requiring clear descriptions....

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RCE: When Your Patent Needs a Second (or Third) Chance

RCE: When Your Patent Needs a Second (or Third) Chance

Devin Miller
By Devin Miller

Struggling with a patent rejection? A Request for Continued Examination (RCE) gives your application a second (or third) chance! Learn how RCEs work, when to...

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Why the USPTO Hates Patent Twins (And How to Fix It)

Why the USPTO Hates Patent Twins (And How to Fix It)

Devin Miller
By Devin Miller

Double patenting can lead to frustrating office action rejections, delaying your patent approval. Learn why the USPTO rejects “patent twins,” how to navigate obviousness-type and...

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One Patent, Too Many Ideas? The Restriction Requirement Explained

One Patent, Too Many Ideas? The Restriction Requirement Explained

Devin Miller
By Devin Miller

Facing a restriction requirement in your patent application? The USPTO may force you to split your ideas into separate filings. Learn what a restriction requirement...

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Lost in Translation: Understanding §112(b) Rejections in Patent Law

Lost in Translation: Understanding §112(b) Rejections in Patent Law

Devin Miller
By Devin Miller

Struggling with a §112(b) rejection? Patent law requires clarity, and ambiguous claims won’t make the cut. Learn how to refine your application, avoid common pitfalls,...

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Not Enough Meat on the Bones? Fixing a 112(a) Patent Rejection

Not Enough Meat on the Bones? Fixing a 112(a) Patent Rejection

Devin Miller
By Devin Miller

A 112(a) rejection can derail your patent dreams, but it’s not the end of the road. This guide breaks down why these rejections happen, how...

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Lost in Abstraction: Understanding Patent Office Action Rejections Under 101

Lost in Abstraction: Understanding Patent Office Action Rejections Under 101

Devin Miller
By Devin Miller

Patent rejections under Section 101 are common, especially for software and business methods. If your application faces a 101 rejection due to abstraction, don’t panic—there...

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