“Do I have enough data to apply for a patent?”  That is the almost ubiquitous question uttered by likely applicants, especially researchers and professors.  In essence, the “data-sufficiency” question is somewhat misleading because the key thing we want to ask ourselves is: what invention do I want to protect?  The compromise between acquiring more data and starting a patent application for a “good enough” protection will often play a key role in determining how to proceed in the process. 

In this seminar, Dr Du will share some of his understandings and thoughts on this topic, using the standards adopted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as examples.