Looking at Patent Law: A Case Study Regarding the Patenting of a Plating Cell Invention, Part I — From Conception to Published Patent Application' name='citation_title

摘要

This installment of the semi-regular column on patent law presents part one of a case study of an electrochemical cell invention. The case study begins with the preparation of an invention disclosure for review by management of the organization or the university technology transfer office. Once the decision to file a patent application is approved, the invention disclosure is the initial document used for interaction with patent counsel. The patent counsel generally drafts the patent application for review by the inventor(s) and submission to the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO). In addition, patent counsel manages the interaction between the inventor(s) and the USPTO. Part one concludes with the publication of the patent application. The intent of the authors is that the subject case study will enable electrochemical scientists, engineers, and technologists to better understand the invention to patent application process.