GLOSSARY OF PATENT TERMS
AND JARGON
AND JARGON
| absolute novelty a system whereby any prior publication anywhere destroys the novelty of a patent. | |
| abridgement a summary of the disclosure of a patent specification, formerly written by the UK Patent Office examiner. | |
| abstract a summary of the disclosure of a patent specification, written by the applicant. | |
| acceptance ( UK) the formal decision by the Patent Office that a patent should be granted. | |
| account of profits alternative to damages, based on profits made by infringer. | |
| advisory action ( USA) an official action issued by the US examiner when a final rejection is being maintained. | |
| allowance ( USA) see acceptance. | |
| amendment alteration made to a patent specification during prosecution or after grant. | |
| analogy process a non-inventive chemical process. | |
| Andean Pact an association of South American countries with common economic policies. | |
| Anton Piller Order ( UK) a court order allowing the premises of an alleged infringer to be searched for evidence of infringement. Usually granted ex parte, without prior warning to the party to be searched. | |
| anticipation prior art which destroys the novelty of a claim by fully describing something falling within it. | |
| anti-trust laws or regulations to prevent abuse of monopoly. | |
| appeal brief ( USA) a summary of arguments why the invention should be patentable, submitted to the Board of Appeals. | |
| assignment transfer of ownership of a patent. | |
| attorneys' fees ( USA) award of costs in US litigation (unusual). | |
| belated opposition ( UK) formerly, an application to the Patent Office for revocation of a newly-granted patent. | |
| best mode requirement ( USA) the obligation to describe the best way of carrying out the invention. | |
| biopiracy pejorative term applied by Green organizations to bioprospecting (q.v.) in developing countries. | |
| bioprospecting looking for useful compounds from biological sources such as plants and micro-organisms. | |
| black box application an application claiming a pharmaceutical per se, filed under Article 70.6 TRIPs in a country which does not yet provide such protection. | |
| block exemption ( EU) a regulation of the EU Commission exempting a category of agreements from Article 85(1) EC if certain conditions are met. | |
| blocking patent see defensive patent. | |
| boilerplate standard clauses in contracts. |
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