Patents

The patent process is complex, time-consuming and quite costly. One of the most challenging aspects is the research. Most inventors use professional assistance for good reason: Failing to identify...

When you patent a new invention, it's possible to incur up to $15,000 in filing costs and legal fees. You could patent your invention yourself, though. Before you approach the U.S. Patent and...

An inventor may use the mark "patent pending" even before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issues a patent. However, there are limited circumstances when inventors may legally use "patent...

The procedure for obtaining a patent is determined by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO); the application for getting a patent must be submitted to this federal agency. A patent...

If you're the inventor of a new utility, design or asexually reproduced plant that you just know will be a big hit with consumers, you'll want to protect your invention by getting it patented. To...

One of the ways inventors can protect their rights for their inventions is by applying for patents. In Canada, there are several parts of legislation regarding patent law. The main and most...

The federal Patent Act (Title 35, U.S.C.) governs the patenting of desirable consumer products, known as utility patents. A valuable product can receive 20 years of exclusive protection, during...

Patenting an invention through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) is a rigorous procedure that can take up to three years and cost anywhere between $5,000 and $10,000. Independent...

If you have invented something you know will be an enormous hit with the consumer market, the first thing you'll want to do is seek patent protection for your brilliant creation. The U.S. Patent...

Are you an inventor who wants to patent a new tool, manufactured product or a business method? Both patent attorneys and patent agents are thoroughly knowledgeable about the art of successfully...

Patent rights have been granted to American inventors of novel, non-obvious and useful inventions for more than two centuries. While other intellectual property laws confer upon copy holders and...

The U.S. Constitution forms the basis for existing patent law. In Article I, Section 8, the Constitution grants Congress the authority "to promote the progress of science and useful arts, by...

When researchers make discoveries that are both unique and significant, they seek patent protection from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Established in 1802, the office today issues...

Patents are government-issued licenses that protect the inventor of a specific creation, providing an opportunity to realize the economic fruits of the invention. The patent process is fairly...

Patents encourage innovation by helping inventors make money from their work. Patentable inventions often involve complex science and technology, anything from microchips to pharmaceuticals, so a...