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Joseph F. Hetz

Practice Summary

Joseph Hetz, a shareholder at Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, joined the firm in 1996 as an associate. Mr. Hetz practices law in the areas of patent prosecution and non-infringement/invalidity opinions with a technical concentration in memory devices, Internet/e-commerce inventions, telecommunication systems, semiconductor devices, and medical devices. He has prosecuted over 2,000 patent applications in the U.S. and international patent offices.

Mr. Hetz is one of the very few patent attorneys ever to be involved in a public use proceeding before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. He has also been involved in re-examination and re-issue proceedings and has filed numerous protests.

Honors/Distinctions
  • Illinois Super Lawyers, Rising Stars, 2009-2012 
  • Leading Intellectual Property Lawyer, Leading Lawyers Network, Law Bulletin Publishing Company, 2010-2011
  • Board of Directors, Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, 2010-2011 
Representative Matters
Public Use Proceeding
  • 08/746,360, "Finite Amplitude Distortion-Based Inhomogeneous Pulse Echo Ultrasonic Imaging"
Re-Examination Proceedings
  • 6,998,959, "Structured Document Browser"
  • 5,933,841, "Structured Document Browser"
Re-Issue Proceedings
  • 6,764,410, "Consoles for Playing and/or Scoring Games, Internet Access, and Communication"
  • 6,588,355, "Lift-Up Cleat"
Patents
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  • 7,057,958, "Method and System for Temperature Compensation for Memory Cells with Temperature-Dependent Behavior"
  • 6,998,959, "System and Method for Providing User-Selected Information to a Paging-Capable Device"
  • 6,847,933, "Ultrasound Image and Other Medical Image Storage System"
  • 6,718,389, "System and Method for Executing a Request from a Client Application"
  • 6,705,916, "System and Method for Routing a Call to a Called Party's Landline or Wireless Communication Unit"
  • 6,574,145, "Memory Device and Method for Sensing While Programming a Non-Volatile Memory Cell"
  • 6,503,766, "Method and System for Detecting an Exposure of a Material on a Semiconductor Wafer During Chemical-Mechanical Polishing"
  • 6,123,204, "Dishwasher-Rack Container Holder"
  • 6,068,539, "Wafer Polishing Device with Movable Window"
  • 5,800,775, "Refractory Block Slag Dam"
Memberships & Affiliations (Current and Past)
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  • American Bar Association
  • American Intellectual Property Law Association
  • Chicago Bar Association
  • Federal Circuit Bar Association
  • Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago
  • Intellectual Property Owners Association
Teaching Experience

Northwestern University School of Law
Adjunct Professor of Law
Patent Prosecution, Spring 2010-Present 

Loyola University Chicago School of Law
Adjunct Professor of Law
Patent Prosecution, Spring 2009 

Valparaiso University School of Law
Adjunct Professor of Law
Patent Prosecution, Fall 2007 and 2008