Patents

The federal government has intellectual property rights to its inventions, whether it's a new machine, manufacturing process or composition of matter (e.g., genetically engineered plants). The...

Searching for invention patents can be a long and tedious process, if the patent number isn't on the item you're researching. Part of the challenge is that patents are not listed by the...

A patent is a right granted to individuals for inventions or designs that protects the invention or design from being copied or used by others for a specific period of time. Patent law is the...

Surely we've all had ideas for a new service or product only to find that 6 months later someone else had it patented and is making lots and lots of money for the idea. It's a frustrating feeling...

Creating a plastic model can be a long, drawn out process that extends from the design phase, where the model is nothing more than a picture on the page, to the mold making stage, where you're...

Have you invented a perfume that is truly unique and potentially profitable? A patent can be used to protect your scent for a limited time, usually 20 years. Here's how to patent your perfume.

A patent is a set of rights that an individual can apply for to protect an invention they created in exchange for making the invention public, typically through production. Anyone with a unique...

So you've come up with a unique idea for a board game? Congratulations! Before you put your game into production, it's critical that you protect your intellectual property. In addition to...

Your idea for the next great gizmo could be worth millions. To protect your investment (even if it's just an idea at this time), submit an application for a patent. Getting a patent gives you the...

Finding the details of a patent is difficult if the patent number isn't listed on the item in question. The reason is that patents aren't classified by an invention's name but buy what the...

Patent research is a tedious but important part of the patent process. Infringing on a patent can result in a lawsuit, so you need to make sure your idea isn't already taken. Here are the steps...

How to file a Provisional Patent Application

The United States Patent and Trademark Office grants patents for inventions. The inventor receives a property right that is generally valid for 20 years from the date the inventor filed the patent...

Due to the complexity of patent laws, proving that an individual or company has stolen your idea or invention can be challenging. However, if you take appropriate steps to prepare a case against...

Sometimes you will come across a wizz-bang item that you just can't take your eyes off of. It might be a water filter, a mouse, a screwdriver with an odd fitting. It doesn't matter. Chances are...

Obtaining a patent for original crafts requires a design patent. These patents are intended to protect the designer from other individuals copying the design and using it for monetary gains....

Inventing a new product takes careful research. The product idea is the first step in the new invention process. Here is how you can invent a new product.

The United States Patent and Trademark Offices has established a procedure for new inventors who want to acquire a patent for their useful, novel and non-obvious creations. The first steps to make...

A patent search can be expensive, challenging and time-consuming. But the rigorous and costly process of obtaining a patent makes it wise to first make sure no one else has patented your idea...

The United States Patent Office (USPTO) examines patent applications in the order of their filing dates, placing no special status on any application and generally not examining applications out...

So you have an idea you believe could change the world . . . or at least make someone's life a little easier, while making you some money. The question is, how does the idea get to the drawing...

When inventor King Camp Gillette patented the safety razor in 1904, he probably had a strong hunch that his handy new tool would revolutionize the way men shaved for more than a century to come....

When considering whether an invention can be patented, the United State Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) considers the date when a patent application was filed as evidence of the invention....

Whether you're a bio-medical engineer, medical practitioner, inventor or part-time innovator of new ideas, there comes a time when producing innovations for someone else's company or firm is...

Patents encourage innovation by helping inventors receive the financial benefits of their inventions. To be eligible for a patent, a physical new, original physical object must be designed, and it...

The disclosure is the most important part of the patent application. It is the written description of the invention, its design and its uses that will determine whether the invention is patentable...

If you've conceived the next "big" invention, the first thing you should do to make your invention a reality is to make sure it is protected. Patenting your invention in the United Kingdom will...

Patenting an idea in Ontario, Canada is much like obtaining a patent in the United States. However, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office operates a bit differently than its U.S. counterpart,...

The U.S. does not issue patents on ideas, at least not absent some actual invention that incorporates the idea. The purpose of patents is to encourage innovation by protecting the rights of an...

Do you have the next great idea? If you can describe it well, it's possible to own the idea so no one can claim it for themselves. To find out how to obtain a patent, keep reading.

Imagine a scene where everybody is enjoying your invention. Your friend approaches you and suggests that you’re about to become rich. One problem, though--someone stole your idea, and...

Have you got an original idea for a design that you want patented? First, you should know exactly what a patent is and what types of designs are patentable. A patent generally carries with it the...

You've invested too much time preparing your patent application to allow last-minute technicalities to ruin things. Getting an instant filing date for your patent application ensures a timely...

Find a patent agent to prepare and effectively process your patent application with the Patent & Trademark Office. Not only are patent agents better equipped to search an invention's patent...

With China's increasing attention to Intellectual Property Laws, there has been an explosion in patent applications in the past few years. Chinese Patent Law refers to three kinds of patents:...

A US patent is an essential part of any product invention, because it helps you, as the creator, stop others from selling that product or claiming it as their own. While the process to apply for a...

A U.S. patent is an essential part of any product invention, because it helps you, as the creator, stop others from selling that product or claiming it as their own. While the process to apply for...

A patent is technically an exclusion of everyone but the patent holder from producing a certain product or technology for a certain period of time. If you believe someone has infringed on your...