Patents and Intellectual Property Protection Services
Patent Searching
Research should be performed at product or process conception as well as prior to filing patent applications. Research should also be performed prior to manufacture or sale of a product or process. Performing the research can guide R&D efforts and enable best-informed decisions. It is best to research to see if your product or process already exists before investing a lot of time and resources into perfecting the product or process. Foregoing upfront searching is like traveling without a map.
Patent Drafting
Patents are a way of protecting your invention. A patent is the grant of an intellectual property right to an inventor for their invention in return for disclosing it to the public in full detail. It is issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Accordingly, a granted patent gives the patent holder “the r ight to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling” the invention.
It may be advantageous to protect your inventions by filing patent applications.
Intellectual Property Strategy, Commercialization, Licensing & Consulting
Identifying, defining, obtaining, protecting, managing and maximizing Intellectual Property is paramount.
Trademarks
Trademarks protect words, names, symbols, sounds, or colors that distinguish goods and services from those manufactured or sold by others and to indicate the source of the goods. Trademarks, unlike patents, can be renewed forever as long as they are being used in commerce.
FAQ:
Q: What types of patents are there?
A: There are three types of patents:
- Utility Patents – a patent granted for any new and useful p rocess, machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof.
- Design Patents – a patent granted for new, original, and ornamental design for an article of manufacture; and
- Plant Patents – a patent for any distinct and new variety of plant.
Q: What is a Provisional patent application?
A: A Provisional patent application does NOT result in a patent and is NOT enforceable. Rather, it is an application that can provide a priority date to a utility patent application. It is analogous to a place holder. It expires at the end of one year and CANNOT be renewed or extended. A Provisional patent is usually followed by a Utility patent application being filed within the one year period.
Contact us toll-free at 1-888-500-3070 for details.