Patent prosecution
Prosecution is the exchange between an applicant and a USPTO examiner that ends in a patent or a final refusal. It turns on the patentability requirements: eligible subject matter, novelty, non-obviousness, and a specification that describes and enables the claims and claims that are definite.
The latest decisions on each requirement are below.
More guides
- 35 U.S.C. 102: Novelty, Prior Art and the Grace Period Explained
Plain-English guide to 35 U.S.C. § 102: prior art under (a)(1) vs (a)(2), the one-year grace period, anticipation (MPEP 2131), pre-AIA 102 and FAQs.
- Information Disclosure Statement (IDS): Duty of Disclosure, Timing, Fees and Form SB/08
What an information disclosure statement is, the duty of disclosure, when to file and what it costs, the IDS size fee, foreign references and Therasense.
- MPEP 2106: Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Under 35 U.S.C. 101
MPEP 2106 in plain English: the § 101 eligibility test step by step (Step 2A Prong One and Two, Step 2B), Alice/Mayo, and USPTO AI guidance through 2026.
- Patent Term Adjustment (PTA): What It Is and How It Is Calculated
What patent term adjustment is: the A, B and C delays of 35 U.S.C. § 154(b), applicant delay, overlap, how to request reconsideration, and PTA vs. PTE.
Tools and data
On the weekly show
Latest decisions
- In re Wenkman
Fed. Cir. · Oct. 28, 2026
- Linden v. ResMed, Inc.
Fed. Cir. · Oct. 16, 2026
- Piranha Media Distribution LLC v. Hulu, LLC
Fed. Cir. · Oct. 14, 2026
- In re Medical Components, Inc.
Fed. Cir. · Sept. 30, 2026
- In re Wenkman
Fed. Cir. · Oct. 28, 2026
- Tesla, Inc. v. Intellectual Ventures II
PTAB Director Review · Oct. 19, 2026
- In re Gamble
Fed. Cir. · Oct. 7, 2026
- Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. v. Inari Agriculture, Inc.
Fed. Cir. · Oct. 2, 2026
- Google LLC v. Valtrus Innovations Ltd.
Fed. Cir. · Oct. 19, 2026
- Certain Storage Containers and Toolboxes, Organizers, Component Boxes, Coolers, and Accessories Used Therewith; Inv. No. 337-TA-1409 (Violation)
ITC · Oct. 16, 2026
- Syngenta Crop Protection AG v. UPL Ltd.
Fed. Cir. · Oct. 14, 2026
- In re Medical Components, Inc.
Fed. Cir. · Sept. 30, 2026
- BT Americas, Inc. v. Palo Alto Networks, Inc.
Fed. Cir. · Oct. 29, 2026
- Percept Technologies Inc. v. Squires
Fed. Cir. · Oct. 28, 2026
- Google LLC v. Valtrus Innovations Ltd.
Fed. Cir. · Oct. 19, 2026
- Tesla, Inc. v. Intellectual Ventures II
PTAB Director Review · Oct. 19, 2026

Patent Bar exam prep
General information, not legal advice. How we write and check these guides: our editorial policy.