ZYL Law Firm provides comprehensive legal services for U.S. Utility and Design Patents. Our professional team is dedicated to offering robust legal protection for your innovations throughout the entire patent lifecycle, from initial application and examination responses to post-grant maintenance and enforcement.

Guides & Analysis


Core Services

U.S. Utility Patent

New Application (Paris Convention)

Under the Paris Convention, we file your patent application in the U.S. within 12 months of your first filing in another country, claiming priority to protect your earliest filing date.

PCT National Phase Entry

We prepare and file all necessary legal documents for your PCT international application to enter the U.S. national phase within 30 months from the priority date, ensuring the continuation of your global patent strategy in the United States.

Provisional Application

File a Provisional Patent Application (PPA) to quickly establish a priority date for your invention at a lower initial cost. This provides you with a 12-month protection period to further develop, market test, and prepare for a non-provisional filing.

Track One Prioritized Examination

Utilize the USPTO's Track One Prioritized Examination program to significantly shorten the examination period, aiming for a final disposition within approximately 12 months.

Office Action (OA) Response

When you receive an Office Action, we provide professional legal analysis and strong technical arguments to overcome the rejections raised by the examiner.

Request for Continued Examination (RCE)

After a Final Rejection, we file an RCE to reopen prosecution, providing another opportunity to submit arguments or amendments.

Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) Filing

Fulfilling the applicant's Duty of Candor by submitting all known prior art material to patentability to the USPTO.

Appeal and Review Proceedings

When disagreeing with an examiner's decision, we initiate appeal or review proceedings to advocate for your rights at a higher level.

Issue Fee Payment & Maintenance Fee

After receiving the Notice of Allowance, we handle the issue fee payment. We also offer annuity management to ensure timely payment of maintenance fees at the 3.5, 7.5, and 11.5-year marks.

Patent Assignment & Recordation

We draft and review patent assignment agreements and handle the recordation with the USPTO to ensure the legal transfer of ownership is publicly noticed.

Technical Document Translation

Providing professional and accurate translation of technical and legal documents to ensure all submitted materials meet the strict language requirements of the USPTO.

Change of Inventorship

Handling changes in inventorship for various reasons, including adding, deleting, or correcting inventors to ensure the patent's legal status is accurate.

U.S. Design Patent

New Application (Paris Convention)

Under the Paris Convention, we file a patent application for your unique product design in the U.S. within 6 months of your first filing, claiming priority.

Office Action (OA) Response

Providing professional analysis and response to rejections from examiners regarding novelty, non-obviousness, and other issues.

Request for Expedited Examination

We can file a Request for Expedited Examination for your design application to obtain a grant more quickly and secure a market advantage.

Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) Filing

Disclosing all known related designs or works of art that may be material to the patentability of your design to the USPTO.

Allowance and Certificate Issuance

Upon receiving the Notice of Allowance, we handle the payment of the issue fee and subsequent patent certificate matters.

Patent Assignment & Recordation

Assisting with the assignment of design patent rights and filing the recordation with the USPTO to ensure the legal validity of the transaction.

Extension of Time

When more time is needed to prepare a response or other documents, we file timely requests for an extension to avoid any loss of rights.

Terminal Disclaimer (TD) Filing

Under certain legal strategies (e.g., to obviate a double patenting rejection), we prepare and file a terminal disclaimer.

Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Proceedings

Appeal of Examiner's Decision

When your patent application is finally rejected by the examiner (Ex Parte), we represent you in an appeal to the PTAB, seeking to overturn the examiner's decision through professional legal arguments.

Inter Partes Review (IPR)

An IPR allows a third party to challenge the validity of one or more claims of a granted patent more than 9 months after its grant, based only on prior art patents or printed publications. We can represent either the petitioner or the patent owner in these proceedings.

Post-Grant Review (PGR)

A PGR allows a third party to challenge a patent's validity within 9 months of its grant on broader grounds (including prior art, indefiniteness, lack of written description, etc.). We provide comprehensive legal representation for petitioners or patent owners in these proceedings.