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Utility patent applications cover the way an invention function while design patent applications cover the way an invention looks.  Many of our clients are candidates for both utility and design applications (often for the same invention).  For example, one of our clients is an inventor of a percussive instrument producing cymatic effects.  The invention uses water to alter the sound of the drum.  We protected the function of the drum with a utility patent (US 10,621,960).  Theoretically, the drum could have many different shapes and still function the same. However, the particular drum this inventor brought to market had a specific (and good-looking) design.  That specific design was protected with a design patent (D858,626).

Our team is often asked whether a provisional or nonprovisional patent application is the best option for a particular client.  Our answer is always the same—it depends.  Some of these factors include budget, timing, and goals.  

In the beauty and skin care industry, there is one trend more popular than matte lipsticks, blinding highlighter, and #selfcare combined. This is duping. For those of you who do not watch Jeffree Star videos religiously, duping is when cheaper products are created to be comparable to higher quality and more expensive products.

AdamsIP, LLC is pleased to announce that the United States Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) has denied AgriNomix, LLC’s request for inter partes review (IPR) of claims 1-13 of Mitchell Ellis Products Inc.’s U.S. Patent 8,590,583 (‘583 Patent). AdamsIP represented Mitchell Ellis Products, Inc., the Patent Owner, in the matter.

Apple has recently filed a patent application disclosing a way to transfer data through gestures. Essentially, two users in close proximity to each other could share files between each other’s devices simply by using common gestures that they may be likely to use anyway. Just about any kind of gesture could be used to share files between users, including handshakes, high fives, waves, and fist bumps. Clearly, this technology was conceived with the Apple Watch in mind since a watch is already attached to the user’s wrist, but it could also be applied to other devices such as smartphones. To initiate the sharing of data, users could agree to first engage in a specific gesture, such as a handshake, or in some cases, data sharing could be initiated automatically. This, of course, brings up serious questions of data security and personal privacy. As with all patent filings, there is of course no guarantee that we’ll see this technology used in Apple Watches or other products anytime soon, if ever. But the idea of a fist bump file transfer certainly sounds intriguing.