Patent Terms Glossary

Utility Patent

Definition:
May be granted to anyone who invents or discovers any new, useful, and nonobvious process, machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof.

Patent Family

Definition:
A patent family is the same invention disclosed by a common inventor(s) and patented in more than one country.

Registration Number

Definition:
A registered patent attorney/agent is assigned a registration number that they must include on patent correspondence and forms when representing others before the USPTO.

Certificate Of Mailing

Definition:
A certificate for each piece of correspondence mailed, prior to the expiration of the set period of time for response, stating the date of deposit with the U.S. Postal Service.

Assignment

Definition:
A transfer of ownership of a patent application or patent from one entity to another. Record all assignments with the USPTO Assignment Services Division to maintain clear title to pending patents.

Group Art Unit

Definition:
A working unit responsible for a cluster of related patent art. Staffed by one supervisory patent examiner (SPE) and a number of patent examiners who determine patentability on applications for a patent.

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