Protect your invention with a patent
All about patents
A United States patent is a form of intellectual property protection granted by the federal government that gives the right to exclude others from making, using, or selling a product covered by the patent throughout the country or from importing the invention into the country. If a client wants to obtain a patent, Larry Evans registered patent attorney:
- Performs a search of prior patents to see if the idea or invention is patentable
- Prepares the application for the patent
- Files the patent application with the U.S. Patent Office and Trademark Office (USPTO)
- Assists in amending the application, if necessary
- Drafts a license agreement if the client desires to license the patent rights to others
We can help make sure that you are not in violation of patent infringement.
The essential elements of a patent
To grant a patent, the patent examiner at the USPTO must conclude that the invention is—
- New,
- Useful, and
- Non-obvious
Types of patents include—
- A utility patent is given to an inventor of a certain object, process, machine, or a composition of matter. A U.S. utility patent’s term (and term of the inventor’s right to the patent) is 20 years from the date it was filed and gives the owner the right to exclude others from making, using, or selling the invention for 20 years.
- A design patent is given to a maker of a design that is new and unique. This design is to be used for an article of manufacture. A U.S. design patent’s term is 14 years from the date it was filed. It gives the owner the right to exclude others from making, using, or selling the design for 14 years.
Product clearance
Before launching a new product, many companies conduct a patent search as a defensive measure to make sure another company does not own a patent on the proposed product. The fact that a similar product is not on the market is a good indicator, but it is not conclusive. A good place to start looking for patents is www.google.com/patents. The fact that a product does not show up on a Google® search is not conclusive. Call the patent law firm of Larry Evans at (314) 303-1193 for a patent search by a registered patent attorney.
Contact us for any patent questions
If you have an invention that you want to patent, call Larry Evans at (314) 303-1193 or contact us online.
