patent pending

Label given to a claimed invention while the Patent and Trademark Office examines the patent application.  No protection from infringement exists until a patent is granted, but this label may be used to notify customers and competitors that a patent is being sought.  This phrase (or something similar) should only be used if a patent application has actually been filed.  A monetary penalty exists for false marking. See 35 U.S.C. § 292 .

Wex

• PROPERTY
• intellectual property
• patent law
• wex definitions