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How to Get a Patent
Are you an inventor? Perhaps you’ve come up with an amazing gadget that will no doubt be a part of every household in just a few short years. If so, you’ll need to secure a patent to protect your rights to the invention.
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Many people confuse patents with things like trademarks and
copyrights. A patent, issued by the Patent and Trademark Office,
grants to an inventor the property rights for his/her invention.
In the words of the actual patent grant, the inventor is given “the
right to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or
selling” the invention in the issuing country or “importing” the
invention into that country.
There are three kinds of patents an individual may obtain: 1)
utility - granted to anyone who invents or discovers any new and useful
process, machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, or
any new and useful improvement thereof; 2) design - granted to anyone
who invents a new, original, and ornamental design for an article of
manufacture; and 3) plant - granted to anyone who invents or discovers
and asexually reproduces any distinct and new variety of plant.
Those seeking a patent in any of the categories must file a patent
application. Many inventors seek the assistance of a lawyer in
filing these complicated papers. There are attorneys who
specialize in patent law and are well-versed in the ins and outs of the
process. Those hiring a lawyer should expect to pay a fairly
hefty fee for their assistance.
In order to save money, many inventors choose to navigate the system on
their own. The patent system requires that patent examiners be
available to help those who aren’t using an attorney. If you
choose to file without a lawyer, it’s best to keep copious notes on
your invention and the invention process.
Read through the application questions carefully to be sure your
invention qualifies before investing time and money in the process.
Even without a lawyer, fees are about $2000. In certain cases,
you may need to build a prototype.
To be sure your invention is indeed a new one, you’ll need to search
current patents, either online or at a Patent and Trademark Depository
Library.
Also remember that applying for a patent is a business decision.
Be sure that your invention has market value before you go through all
the steps necessary to obtain this status for your invention.
| Sub-Categories |
 Trademarks
- " Consumers are barraged with slogans, symbols, designs and logos that are easily recognizable, from the unique shape of a soft-drink bottle to gold-colored arches to sayings like “Mmmm, Mmmm, good” and “Just Do It.” All of these are trademarks, associated with a particular product or company of products, and designed to be an exclusive identifier of such. ..."
Full Article
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lashay
posted:2005-10-31 13:51:21
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copyright / patent
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what exactly is the difference between a copyright and a patent?
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Ebony
posted:2005-11-09 11:53:55
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patents
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it\'s sooooooooo coool
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Shanna Tinker
posted:2006-02-20 17:02:05
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patent a saying
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\"Who does that?!\"
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Shanna Tinker
posted:2006-02-20 17:02:38
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patent a saying
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\"Who does that?!\"
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HiDQNJJURt
posted:2006-03-05 07:48:44
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HiDQNJJURt
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d3Epsb59LNsq ml18JElV6BRfNA mqpiZ89tWSrM
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Anthony Dilibe Aneke
posted:2006-03-29 18:19:22
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patents
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Really how fair is a patent system that requires a \"race to the Patent Office\"? Patents have come with a lot of scrutiny since its inception. The race to the patent office is a major problem in this industry and a lot of issues have risen from it. Issues from the originality of the claim of the thinking of the invention to the people behind the creation of that particular invention. In terms of the patent procedure being fair, I think it is only fair because it would be nice for one to invent a product and reap the reward of that product but only for a short period. I say only for a short period because so as to avoid a monopoly. For an instance when Nextel pioneered the walking talking phone incorporated in cell phones. As the article states that the primary purpose of the Patent Office is publication (making knowledge available to the public), not protection. Its stated purpose is \"to promote the progress of science and the useful arts by securing for limited times to inventors the exclusive right to their respective discoveries\". Finally the patent concept is really a race to the office because there could be more than one person who discoveries this invention so one have to take out a block of patents trying to cover/protect all aspects of the invention so that others working in the field can not circumvent his/her patents.
The other case that focuses on the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) and associated entertainment companies inundating the courts with litigation associated with digital copying of movies, music and TV shows is clearly a tough one to win. But by imposing royalty fees and tougher laws for protecting music from being shared and burned, mixed and of course played on the internet radio could eventually put some control on copyrights of songs
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