As we come to the end of the year, the members of the Intellectual Property and Technology group at Stites & Harbison took time to reflect upon some of the amazing things that have occurred in the world of Intellectual Property. In a light-hearted review of some of our favorite finds from 2022, please enjoy our own take on the classic carol, "The Twelve Days of Christmas."

1. On the first day of IP Christmas, the USPTO sent to me, a plant patent for a pear tree. U.S. Plant Patent No. PP31,444 is to an “Olsen Bosc” pear tree which is notable for its profound russeting which gives it a distinctive bronze appearance. I’m sure a partridge would be right at home in the newly protected Olsen Bosc pear tree.
   
   U.S. Plant Patent No. PP31,444
   
   
2. On the second day of IP Christmas, the USPTO sent to me, an Intent-to-Use Trademark Application for "Doves Haven." U.S. Trademark App. Serial. No. 97,276,706 is for services in hosting social entertainment events. Maybe Doves Haven can help you with your upcoming holiday party.
   
   U.S. Trademark App. Serial. No. 97,276,706
   
   
   
3. On the third day of IP Christmas, the French Patent Office sent to me, a French automated chicken coop. French Patent Application No. 3,112,454 is a chicken coop designed specifically to help collect eggs from those three French hens.
   
   French Patent Application No. 3,112,454
   
   
4. On the fourth day of IP Christmas, the USPTO sent to me, a new design for a bird house. U.S. Patent No. 11,272,691 is a modular avian structure that includes a reconfigurable partition assembly that can be adjusted to divide the interior of the structure into different compartmental configurations. With this house, the four calling birds now have the flexibility to either flock together in a shared living space or fly solo in their own respective rooms as they make their important calls.
   
   U.S. Patent No. 11,272,691
   
   
5. On the fifth day of IP Christmas, the USPTO sent to me, an Intent-to-Use Trademark Application for FIVE GOLDEN RINGS. U.S. Trademark App. Serial. No. 90471934 for book covers is currently allowed, but still awaits evidence of actual use in commerce before it is registered.
   
   U.S. Trademark App. Serial. No. 90471934
   
   
   
6. On the sixth day of IP Christmas, I was having a problem with six geese a-laying on my front lawn, so the USPTO sent to me US Patent No. 11,297,822 for a system and method to drive away geese. Problem solved.
   
   US Patent No. 11,297,822
   
   
7. On the seventh day of IP Christmas, the USPTO sent to me, a registration for BLACK SWAN SOCIAL CLUB. At the end of December 2021, the USPTO granted registration for BLACK SWAN SOCIAL CLUB for use in connection with social club services, namely, arranging, organizing, and hosting social events, get-togethers, and parties for club members. The seven swans will be right at home at the social club!
   
   U.S. Trademark Reg. No. 6,604,139
   
   
   
8. On the eighth day of IP Christmas, the USPTO sent to me an automatic cow milking device. U.S. Patent No. 11,064,674 is a mobile device for milking cows. This certainly would lessen the burden of the eight maids a milking as they no longer need to move the cows to a processing unit. Instead, the processing unit is movable to be positioned directly under the cow to be milked.
   
   U.S. Patent No. 11,064,674
   
   
9. On the ninth day of IP Christmas, the USPTO sent to me, a trademark registration for LADY NINE. On June 28, 2022, the USPTO granted registration of the mark LADY NINE for use in connection with a variety of clothing items. The nine ladies dancing will probably be quite excited to upgrade their wardrobes with some new clothing items.
   
   U.S. Trademark Reg. No. 6,775,585
   
   
   
10. On the tenth day of IP Christmas, the USPTO sent to me, U.S. Patent No. 11,337,884 for an apparatus allowing a user to make leaping strides while walking or running. The ten lords never looked so good as they do now hopping about on this wheeled apparatus, which includes a pivoting arm and seat arrangement that provides riders with a sense of weightlessness as they bound forward on foot.
    
    U.S. Patent No. 11,337,884
    
    
    
11. On the eleventh day of IP Christmas, the USPTO sent to me U.S. Design Patent No. D952,733 for an Electronic Wind Instrument, issued on May 24, 2022. The eleven pipers piping are sure to appreciate the claimed ornamental design for this electronic wind instrument, which the USPTO has determined meets the statutory grant prerequirements of ornamentality, novelty, nonobviousness, enablement, and definiteness.
    
    U.S. Design Patent No. D952,733
    
    
    
12. On the twelfth day of IP Christmas, the USPTO sent to me U.S. Patent No. 11,450,300 for a Drum Hoop Fastening Device. The twelve drummers drumming will love the improved sonic quality of their drums provided by the fastening devices which reduces drum inner space resonance and extraneous noise from drum component vibration.
    
    U.S. Patent No. 11,450,300