Patent Prosecution
Patent Prosecution refers to the process of seeking to obtain a patent by application to an authorized body. In the United States, that body is the United States Patent and Trademark Office ("PTO," for short).
Patent Prosecution can be lengthy, expensive and unpredictable because it involves the careful examination of the claimed technology in light of a large universe of prior art and complex areas of patent law. After the application is reviewed for formal issues, it is assigned to an examiner specializing in a particular area of technological art to which the application pertains. In a series of "Office Actions," the examiner may reject or object to technology claimed in the application, requesting amendments or justifications for them. The applicant typically responds and may amend the application, in light of those rejections and objections, in an effort to obtain a patent. The applicant may file additional, related applications to prosecute different aspects and related inventions, sometimes for complex, strategic reasons.
While inventors may prosecute patent applications on their own behalf, the choice to do so may not be wise in light of the complexities stated above. If done carelessly or without sufficient insight, patent prosecution can easily result in the destruction of an inventor's or owner's rights, wasting research and development efforts.
In the United States, only registered Patent Attorneys or Patent Agents may prosecute patent applications on behalf of an inventor or assignee. Attorney Christopher V. Beckman is a registered Patent Attorney with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and has been successfully prosecuting applications for over 5 years. Patent applications prosecuted by Mr. Beckman have been sought out by industry without solicitation, and successfully monetized.
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