Patent Research - Part I

Before you register a patent you need to do some basic research. Not only is it the job of the United States Patent Office to issue patents, it also maintains a database of the patents that have been granted. The majority of patents issued by the Patent and Trademark Office are utility patents. With such a large amount of these patents issued yearly, it is necessary for the inventor to research whether someone else has already patented their newest invention.

Why Patent? Part II

What You Can Patent The USPTO have established a broad area of things on which it will consider granting patents. It is possible to patent anything that you have invented or designed, a new plant you have found, a business method, or an improvement of a previous invention. Items that have historically been granted patents are usually: • Items which are new to the general public. • Items which are considerably different than any other item which has received a patent. • Items which are practical. These are the types of inventions that the USPTO will generally look favorably on. Think of all the items used on a daily ....

Business Method Patents, Part I

Business method patents protect some very important things in your business. Since the Supreme Court’s decision in 1998 to grant patents based on business methods, the Patent and Trademark Office has been inundated with applications of this type. There is currently a four-year wait for patent application approvals. Before 1998, it was normally the assumption that a method of doing business could not be patented, and only a few property protections were in place. But in 1998, a landmark case between Signature Financial Group and State Street Bank and Trust, handed down a decision that a patent could be obtained based on a method of doing business. The dispute between these two companies involved a way to calculate concerning mutual funds, and the Supreme Court agreed that a particular method for calculating them could be patented under a business method patent. As the name implies, business method patents refers to the method or the way in which the company does business. Business method ....

A Clear Vision Of Patents

This article will help you get clear on getting a patent and understanding some of the ways patents work. Before you embark on the process of obtaining a patent for your idea, realize that obtaining a patent is not an overnight process. It involves countless hours of detailing or describing how your invention works, along with thoroughly and correctly filling out the parts of the application form. If you have a wonderful invention, it is a good idea to have realistic expectations of what you can expect to undergo during the patent process. This will save you a lot of trouble and frustration in the long run. The first thing you should do is read as many of the guidelines and documents that the Patent Office itself publishes as you can. The Patent ....

China Patent System - An Overview

There was no sustained indigenous intellectual property protection system in China for long. The People's Republic of China (PRC) began to establish an intellectual property protection regime based on the Soviet model during the year 1949. In 1978, China adopted the open-door policy. The Patent Law of China was first promulgated on March 12, 1984. There are three types of patents: patents for inventions, utility models and designs.

Patent Citation Data for Competitive Intelligence

Patents are most comprehensive and well documented technological and competitive information source. The most important is that it freely accessible through internet. Studies of technological change constitute a field of growing importance and sophistication. The Citation analysis enables companies to establish the strategies by identifying desirable technology for faster time to market without potential risks.

After KSR - Stronger Patents or Just Harder to Get?

Summary of consequences of recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex, Inc. et al. with the effect on strength of future patents and the effect on the difficulty in obtaining patents. Discusses the requirements of an obviousness rejection of patent claims and overcoming such a rejection.

What Are The Different Types Of Patents?

What are the different types of patents which can be filed? This article explains the major patent types, and when to file which patent.

Working With A Patent Attorney

This article provides useful tips to aspiring inventors about the things to look for while hiring a patent attorney or a patent lawyer.

Why A Patent Lawyer Can Be An Inventor's Best Friend

Some may think that brilliant men like Thomas Edison and Nicolai Tesla are rare these days but I know better. As a matter of fact I have a friend who is a certifiable genius inventor, inventing things like an engine that runs on tap water and a device that increases gas mileage by nearly 40 percent.

Intellectual Property – Patent Dispute – Revocation

In the case of Merz Pharma GmbH and Co KGaA v Allergan Inc [2006], a dispute arose as to the validity of a patent for the use of Botulinium toxins in a type of medical treatment.

Patent Piracy and Intellectual Property Issues; US and China

There are some International Trade Deficit Issues, which the United States is trying to shore up right now. China, needs to right-size its currency although that is five years out and we all know instant changes could cause chaos there. Many business men in the United States complain and say that

Soon China Will Demand Patent Protect and the Tables Will Turn

Patent Piracy is a huge problem for United States Businesses. Much of this International Crime is being committed by Chinese Business Entrepreneurs and the problem is so bad that it is running ramped. How bad is it?

Patent Lawsuit Financing

Patents are related to new innovative and useful inventions made by researchers and inventors. Patents are exclusive legal rights given to inventors by the court for a fixed duration of time, allowing them to disclose the inventions to the general public, with certain regulations and details about the device or invention made.

Free Patent Searches

One of the primary things to do when a commercially viable idea hits the brain is to search for a patent for the concept. A patent allows for the conversion of the concept into a business and prohibits others from infringing on the idea. Commonly, patent searches through patent search offices entail some footwork as well as money.