Patent Terms Glossary

Interference

Definition:
A proceeding, conducted before the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences (Board), to determine priority of invention between a pending application.

Consisting Essentially Of

Definition:
A transitional phrase that limits the scope of a claim to the specified materials or steps and those that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed invention.

Enforceability of Patent

Definition:
The right of the patent owner to bring an infringement suit against a party who, without permission, makes, uses or sells the claimed invention.

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.

Basic Patent

Definition:
The first published patent

Office Action

Definition:
A letter from a trademark examining attorney setting forth the legal status of a trademark application. There are several types of Office actions: examiner’s amendments, priority actions, and suspension inquiry letters.

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