Patent Terms Glossary

First to invent

Definition:
In some countries, the applicant who is the first to invent will be awarded the patent over all others.

Descriptive Mark

Definition:
A mark is considered merely descriptive if it describes an ingredient, quality, characteristic, function, feature, purpose or use of the specified goods or services.

COTS

Definition:
Commercial Off The Shelf - an acquisition term refering to commercially available ready to use products that require no customization in order to meet performance requirements.

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.

SMART

Definition:
Standards, Mentor, Attempt, Review, Transition -- an informal development program used for USPTO's OCIO employees that identifies standards to work towards and establishes a mentoring relationship between managers and their employees who must meet these s

Patentable

Definition:
Suitable to be patented; entitled by law to be protected by the issuance of a patent.

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