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.

Design Patents

A design patent may be useful in your business. This article breaks down what a Design patent is. The type of patent we are covering in this article is the design patent. Like the name suggests, a design patent is used to grant the inventor rights to how an invention actually looks. The design patent is unique because it is only given when the inventor has created something that is new, and it only protects the appearance of the invention. Therefore, design patents are only concerned with the aesthetics of the invention, and not how it is constructed or the materials that compose it. Usually the design patent protects the inventor for a period of fourteen years. The design patent specifically protects the way in which the invention appears. To be approved for a design patent, the Patent ....

How Do You File A Patent

You got a great invention, and you don't want others to create or use the same invention (or at least nobody can claim they invented it). That's the kind of protection a patent offers. It gives you exclusivity to create, reproduce and sell the product or process to the public for a particular length of time (most patents nowadays offer protection for a minimum of 17 years).

The Scramble for Software Patents

It takes years to conceptualize and develop software products, but not much effort to replicate the software if it has not been patented. A significant part of the intellectual property of a software product is exposed on the release of the new product. There is a direct and transparent relation between the functional aspect or features of software and the software's internal processes, which requires less effort to reverse engineer the product.

Role of Knowledge Intelligence in Today's Competitive Environment

With the advent of globalization, there has been great increased in the recent few years in the knowledge management. Knowledge management involves mining and integration of huge and scattered knowledge into a single platform, to generate knowledge intelligence. Intelligence analysts are the knowledge workers most important tasks.

How to Patent an Invention

Whether you've discovered the latest technological wonder or figured out a way to satisfy a common woe shared by millions, the protection of an invention is very important. In order to receive credit and hopefully a profit from your vision, one must obtain a patent-

Visual Thinking and Communication Tools - Patent Maps

The purpose of this article is to analyze the variety of the approaches organizations follow in creation of variety of knowledge maps, aiming effective visual thinking and communication. These maps are used by the top level managers, & R&D personal in making strategic decisions. During preparation of these maps the central theme is designing of the thematic map, which represents huge knowledge data, which is available scatter across the various databases in web, as terrestrial and celestial mapping.

Introduction to the Patent Bar Exam

This article gives a broad overview of the requirements and process to take the Patent Bar Exam

Commercial Litigation - Patent Infringement in the UK by Defendant

The case of Celem SA and Another v Alcon Electronics PVT Ltd [2006] concerned jurisdictional issues relating to patent infringement. The claimant companies were engaged in the manufacture of components for the electrical induction heating market, and were the holders of a European patent in relation to certain capacitors.

Patent Protection For Pharmaceutical Products

Almost all African countries already allow patent protection for pharmaceutical products.

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.

Patent Debates

The debate over patents, especially in the sectors of pharmaceuticals and traditional knowledge has begun to gain worldwide attention.

Patent Mapping

Patent landscape mapping (PLM) is a tool to analyze existing IP to determine the risks and opportunities of participating in a given technology and/or product space. It describes the technologies and alternative solutions that have been applied to a particular product category. PLM identifies competitors based on their issued and filed IP, and outlines their strategies, strengths and problem-solving approaches. PLM enables a company's scientific and commercial management teams to identify the best opportunities for investment in a selected product area, to create a strategy to protect their IP, and to establish differentiation with respect to their competitors.

Patents, Protections and Piracy Problems

There is a huge wait at the Patent Office these days and yes the government is trying to do something about it; they are building a 600 million dollar new facility. But the back log continues. Sure you can do a poor man's patent and send letters back to yourself, initial drawings with dates and keep an official ledger of ideas; yes I do, you should too.

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.