Design Patent

A recent conference at Stanford Law brought together top-flight litigators, intellectual property scholars, representatives from USPTO and WIPO, and in-house counsel for a rousing discussion of emerging issues in design patents. In contrast to an ordinary utility patent, a design patent is granted to an inventor of a new, original and ...

Design patents have not received much press until recently. However, the smartphone industry and fashion houses are increasingly turning to patent law to protect their designs. Recent disputes between Apple and Samsung as well as Lululemon and Calvin Klein illustrate an increased reliance on design patents for market domination. Will ...