Global IP Information

2026-11-10

EPO

Under the practice following G1/25 and set out in the notice, claims are always interpreted in the light of the description and drawings, following a unitary, or “holistic”, approach. The description and drawings can influence how the skilled person understands the wording of a claim. However, they cannot be used to read limitations or broader meanings into a claim where there is no basis for them in the claim wording itself.

2026-11-10

USPTO Director returns to the PTAB merits-based considerations involved in making IPR and PGR institution decisions

USPTO

Today, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Director John A. Squires and General Counsel and Supervisory Solicitor John F. Duffy issued a memorandum announcing that, effective November 16, 2026, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) will, on the Director’s behalf, determine whether or not to institute trial of inter partes review (IPR) and post-grant review (PGR) proceedings based on merits-based considerations.

2026-11-05

On 29 October 2026, WIPO released the October 2026 issue of its PCT Newsletter (No. 10/2026). On 5 November 2026,

WIPO

2026-11-04

Government response to the consultation on changes to the UK designs framework

UKIPO

A strong and trusted intellectual property (IP) framework gives businesses and designers the confidence to protect their designs and bring products to market. It is especially important that individual designers and small businesses can access effective IP protection and compete fairly. The government is committed to ensuring that the UK’s design system remains fit for purpose in a fast-changing economy.

2026-11-03

Status of Public Records Division

USPTO

The Public Records Division (PRD) processes and fills orders for both certified and uncertified copies of United States Patent and Trademark Office documents, records assignments and other documents related to title. This is an update of actual processing times for orders filled during the month of September 2026.

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