Patent Glossary Terms

ALC

Agency Location Code – an eight (8) digit code assigned to U.S. government agencies by the Department of Treasury.

Arbitrary Marks

Comprise words that are in common linguistic use but, when used to identify particular goods or services, do not suggest or describe a significant ingredient.

BRM

Business reference model – an organized, hierarchical way to describe the day-to-day business operations of the Federal government.
Certificate Of Registration

Official document from the USPTO evidencing that a mark has been registered.

Classification of Goods and Services

Goods and services are classified by an international system, according to international treaties to which the United States is a signatory.
Coinventor

An inventor who is named with at least one other inventor in a patent application, wherein each inventor contributes to the conception creation of the invention.

Nonprovisional Patent Application

An application for patent filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) that includes all patent applications (i.e., utility, design, plant, and reissue) except provisional applications.

Patent

A patent is a document that defines the right by law for inventors and assignees to make use of and exploit their inventions for a limited period of time.