AAU - see Amendment to Allege Use.

ABA - see American Bar Association.

Abstract - refers to a brief summary, usually describing an invention, book or periodical.

Accelerated Examination Support Document - refers to a condition that must be satisfied before a Patent Petition to Make Special Under Accelerated Application may be granted accelerated examination. At the time of filing, an Accelerated Examiniation Support documents must include:

1. information disclosure statement (IDS) in compliance with 37 CFR 1.98 citing each reference deemed most closely related to the subject matter of each of the claims.
2. for each reference cited an identification of all the limitations in the claims that are disclosed by the reference specifying where the limitation is disclosed in the cited reference.
3. a detailed explanation of how each of the claims are patentable over the references cited with the particularity required by 37 CFR 1.111(b) and (c).
4. a concise statement of the utility of the invention as defined in each of the independent claims (unless the application is a design application).
5. a showing of where each limitation of the claims finds support under the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112 in the written description of the specification. If applicable, the showing must also identify:
   • (i) each means- (or step-) plus-function claim element that invokes consideration under 35 U.S.C. 112, paragraph 6; and
   • (ii) the structure, material, or acts in the specification that correspond to each means- (or step-) plus-function claim element that invokes consideration under 35 U.S.C. 112, paragraph 6. If the application claims the benefit of one or more applications under title 35, United States Code, the showing must also include where each limitation of the claims finds support under the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112 in each such application in which such support exists.
6. (6) The accelerated examination support document must identify any cited references that may be disqualified as prior art under 35 U.S.C. 103(c).

Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual - refers to a general guide for identifications of goods and services that are acceptable to the USPTO for inclusion in trademark applications and registrations. To access the AIGSM click here.

ACH - see Automated Clearing House.

ACP - see Attorney Client Privilege.

ACPA - see Anticybersquatting Protection Act.

Action on the case - refers to an action in tort to recover damages for injury or loss resulting indirectly or consequentially from the act complained of. It is important that the loss or injury is not the direct result of the act complained of, but is indirect or consequential. In a legal sense the word case means suit but in its ordinary usage means event, happening, situation, circumstances.

Ad Valorem Duties - see Ad Valorem Tax.

Ad Valorem Tax - refers to taxes that are charged as a percentage of the value of an asset.

ADS - see Application Data Sheet.

AESD - see Accelerated Examination Support Document.

Affiant Further Sayeth Naught - see Further Affiant Sayeth Naught.

AFM - see American Federation of Musicians.

AFTRA - see American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.

AIF - see Attorney in Fact.

AIGSM - see Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual.

AIPA - see American Inventors Protection Act.

AIPLA - see American Intellectual Property Law Association.

AIS - see Automated Information Systems.

ALI - see American Law Institute.

Amendment to Allege Use - refers an amendment to an Intent to Use Trademark Application asserting use of the mark in commerce under Lanham Act at any time between the filing of the application and the date the examiner approves the mark for publication. Thereafter, an allegation of use may be submitted only as a Statement of Use after the issuance of a notice of allowance. If an amendment to allege use is filed outside the time period specified it is be returned to the applicant. AN amendment to allege use must include:

1. A statement that is signed and Verified or supported by a § 2.20 Declaration by a person properly authorized to sign on behalf of the applicant, that asserts:
   1. The applicant believes it is the owner of the mark; and
   2. The mark is in use in commerce, specifying the date of the applicant's first use of the mark and first use of the mark in commerce, and those goods or services specified in the application on or in connection with which the applicant uses the mark in commerce.
2. One specimen of the mark as actually used in commerce.
3. The appropriate fee per class alleged to be used.

American Bar Association - refers to a large voluntary professional organization that engages in law school accreditation, continuing legal education, legal information, lawyer's work assistance programs, and public intrest initiatives. The American Bar Association web site is http://www.abanet.org.

American Federation of Musicians - refers to an organization representing the interests of professional musicians. The American Federation of Musicians seeks to assist musicians negotiate "fair agreements" and protect their ownership of recorded music. The organization engages in lobbying efforts with legislators and collective bargaining for benefits including health care.

American Federation of Television and Radio Artists - refers to labor union representing journalists, performers, and other artists working in the entertainment and news media. For the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists web site click here.

American Intellectual Property Law Association - refers to a national bar association composed primarily of Intellectual Property lawyers.

American Inventors Protection Act - refers to laws enacted on November 29, 1999, as Public Law 106-113 and amended by the Intellectual Property and High Technology Technical Amendments Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-273) enacted November 2, 2002. The American Inventors Protection Act provided an Earlier Invention Defense for business method patents, Publication of U.S. patent applications for foreign published applications, Request for Continued Examination, Patent Term Restoration, and Disclosure Requirements for Invention Promotion Firms.

American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers - refers to a Performing Rights Society.

Anonymous Work - refers to a work on the copies or phonorecords of which no natural person is identified as author.

Anticipation - refers to when Prior Art discloses each and every element of a claimed invention.

Applicant Information - refers to information under 37 CFR § 1.76(b)(1) that includes the name, residence, mailing address, and citizenship of each applicant (37 CFR § 1.41(b)). The name of each applicant must include the family name, and at least one given name without abbreviation together with any other given name or initial. If the applicant is not an inventor, this information also includes the applicant's authority (37 CFR §§ 1.42, 1.43, and 1.47) to apply for the patent on behalf of the inventor.

Application Data Sheet - refers to a sheet or sheets, that may be voluntarily submitted in either provisional or nonprovisional applications, which contains Bibliographic Data, arranged in a format specified by the United State Patent and Trademark Office. An application data sheet must be titled "Application Data Sheet" and must contain all of the section headings listed in paragraph (b) of 37 CFR 1.76, with any appropriate data for each section heading. If an application data sheet is provided, the application data sheet is part of the provisional or nonprovisional application for which it has been submitted.

Application Information - refers to data under 37 CFR § 1.76(b)(3) including the title of the invention, a suggested classification, by class and subclass, the Technology Center to which the subject matter of the invention is assigned, the total number of drawing sheets, a suggested drawing figure for publication (in a nonprovisional application), any docket number assigned to the application, the type of application (e.g., utility, plant, design, reissue, provisional), whether the application discloses any significant part of the subject matter of an application under a secrecy order pursuant to 37 CFR § 5.2 (see § 5.2(c)), and, for plant applications, the Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed, as well as the variety denomination. The suggested classification and Technology Center information should be supplied for provisional applications whether or not claims are present. If claims are not present in a provisional application, the suggested classification and Technology Center should be based upon the disclosure.

Architectural Work - refers to the design of a building as embodied in any tangible medium of expression, including a building, architectural plans, or drawings. The work includes the overall form as well as the arrangement and composition of spaces and elements in the design, but does not include individual standard features.

ASCAP - see American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.

Asociación Internacional para el Progreso de la Enseñanza y de la Investigación de la Propiedad Intelectual - see International Association for the Advancement of Teaching and Research in Intellectual Property.

Assignee Information - refers to data under 37 CFR § 1.76(b)(7) including the name (either person or juristic entity) and address of the assignee of the entire right, title, and interest in an application. Providing this information in the application data sheet does not substitute for compliance with any requirement of part 3 of Chapter 37 of the Code of Federal Regulations to have an assignment recorded by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Association internationale pour la promotion de l`enseignement et de la recherche en propriété intellectuelle - see International Association Advancement and Teaching of Intellectual Property.

Assumpsit - refers to a promise or contract express or implied. An Assumpsit may be oral or in writing not under seal. see Indebitatus Assumpsit and Special Assumpsit.

ATRIP - see International Association for the Advancement and Teaching of Intellectual Property.

Attorney in Fact - refers to a person authorized to perform acts for another person (the "Principal"). An Attorney in Fact holds a Power of Attorney and is an Agent of the Principal.

Audiovisual Works - refer to works that consist of a series of related images which are intrinsically intended to be shown by the use of machines, or devices such as projectors, viewers, or electronic equipment, together with accompanying sounds, if any, regardless of the nature of the material objects, such as films or tapes, in which the works are embodied.

Automated Clearing House - refers to an electronic network for financial transactions. Rules governing and regulating the Automated Clearing House network are promulgated by the Electronic Payments Association, formerly the National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA), and the Federal Reserve.

AWCPA - see Architectural Works Copyright Protection Act.