If you’ve come up with a new invention but don’t yet have the funds to file a patent application, there are a few strategies you can use to help protect your invention in the meantime: Keep your invention secret: One of the most important ways to protect your invention before filing a patent application is…
If you are the owner of a copyrighted work, you have the exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, display, perform, and modify your work. As the copyright owner, you have the authority to control how your work is used and to grant permissions or licenses to others. If you want to explore creative ways to market…
ARE YOUR PATENT OFFICE MAINTENANCE FEES DUE? Who can pay? Maintenance fees and any necessary surcharges may be paid by the patentee or by any person or organization on behalf of a patentee. What to include with payment? You must include both the patent number and corresponding application number with your maintenance fee payment….
How do I apply for a patent? Inventors may apply for one of two types of patent applications: (1) A nonprovisional application, which begins the examination process and may lead to a patent; and (2) A provisional application, which establishes a filing date but does not begin the examination process. How do I know if…
If you are looking to grow your brand in a short period of time, brand licensing might be the way to go. It can be challenging to find the right licensing company and an agreement that keeps expansion in mind while protecting a brand’s image and reputation. While it’s rare to reap the benefits of…
How long does a copyright last? The term of copyright for a particular work depends on several factors, including whether it has been published, and, if so, the date of first publication. As a general rule, for works created after January 1, 1978, copyright protection lasts for the life of the author plus an additional…
What is Patent Information? Patent information is used by professionals, researchers, legal analysts and professionals in the technical field. Patent documents contain legal information and technical data that help the aforementioned individuals make informed decisions. Why use patent information? Patent information can be used to develop new products before seeking patent protection. It can also…
A patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for detailed public disclosure of an invention. An invention is a solution to a specific technological problem and is a product or a process. Patents are a form of…
Patents were systematically granted in Venice as of 1450, where they issued a decree by which new and inventive devices had to be communicated to the Republic in order to obtain legal protection against potential infringers. The period of protection was 10 years. These were mostly in the field of glass making. As Venetians emigrated,…
he Office may issue without charge a certificate correcting a clerical error it has made in the patent when the printed patent does not correspond to the record in the Office. These are mostly corrections of typographical errors made in printing. Some minor errors of a typographical nature made by the applicant may be corrected…
