Patent Terms Glossary

Counterpart

Definition:
An application filed in a foreign patent office that is substantially similar to (like) the patent application filed with the USPTO and is based upon some or all of the same invention.

NPL

Definition:
Non Patent Literature -- documents and publications that are not patents or published patent applications but are cited as references for being relevant in a patent prosecution.

Common Inventor

Definition:
An inventor whose name is listed on multiple patent applications or granted patents, making the inventions at least partially the work of the same person.

Trade Secret

Definition:
Information that companies keep secret to give them an advantage over their competitors.

Electronic File Wrapper

Definition:
System that provides a way to access electronic copies of the correspondence, documents and other pertinent records used in considering a particular case.

Workflow Incoming Amendment IFW

Definition:
From Public PAIR/IFW - designates the point in time when an amendment is received in the Office and the paper scanning process may be started at the USPTO; does not indicate whether scanning has actually started.

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