Guides & Articles on Patent And Intellectual Property
Applying for a Patent
Prove your invention is unique and get up to 20 years of protection
Think you're the next great American inventor? Then get yourself a patent, an exclusive right to profit from your bright idea for up to 20 years, granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO). But first, you need to ask yourself two questions: Does your invention fit into one of the three categories of patentable things? Utility patents cover software, methods of doing...
CE Mark
Acquire CE Mark approval for US exports
CE Mark is a term of little import to US domestic businesses. However, for US businesses with an eye toward market involvement in the European Union (EU), CE Mark approval may be the difference between participation and profit, or a closed market. The CE Marking requirement was designed to ensure the health and safety of consumers as well as public interests. Novice US businesses...
Cashing in on Your Intellectual Property
There's money in your patented or protected ideas
Every small business that suddenly grows big is based on an innovation of some kind. What's less common is that the actual innovator has the focus or financial reach to turn the idea into cash. Learning how to protect your big ideas can mean later turning know-how into a business unto itself. Here's a quick primer on how to make sure your secret recipe or better mousetrap...
Getting an Invention to Market
Tips to take your invention from the idea stage to the real world
Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin, Bill Gates. All had great visions, but more importantly their hard work turned their idea into a reality. To get your invention from the brainstorming stage to the store shelves, you need to consider: If other products that fulfill the same function or use are already on the market. How you'll finance research and development. If you have the...
Intellectual Property Law Forms
Use intellectual property law forms to protect yourself
Intellectual property law documents are meant to give you a way to patent your ideas. The field of intellectual property law can get confusing, but does provide a means of security that you will not regret. Use intellectual property legal papers when you want to make sure that your ideas, logos, proprietary writing and white papers remain in your company’s ownership. Legal...
Intellectual Property Law Organizations
Stay abreast of industry issues, news and trends by joining intellectual property law organizations
If you practice intellectual property law, you would do well to partner with intellectual property law associations to strengthen your business expertise and credibility. Industry organizations bring together professionals with similar goals and challenges. Members of industry organizations come from all company divisions, but all share the same objective of expanding their...
Intellectual Property Policies
Protect your company's creations with intellectual property policies
If you've hired employees to create anything for you, whether it's pharmaceuticals or running shoes, you'll need an employee intellectual property policy to ensure that anything they create on company time remains under company ownership. You've probably taken measures to prevent theft or infringement from competitors or other outside sources, but have you...
New Invention Key Terms
Learn about the procedures for creating inventions
Inventions are always being created for all industries, and eventually they lead to new products for businesses and consumers. And, while the process of creating an invention may be tedious, going through the proper channels to secure patents and copyrights ensures that only the best will go from the drawing board into the hands of the consumer. Many government offices and...
New Inventions Basics
Learn three important steps to securing and selling your new inventions
You have a great idea for a new invention...But what do you do with it? Is there some way to protect your idea from getting stolen? How do you sell your idea to manufacturers? Is it possible to manufacture and sell your business inventions on your own? If you're new to inventing, be sure you understand new inventions basics before proceeding beyond the idea stage.If you...
Pricing and Costs of New Inventions
Determining how much your new inventions will cost to patent
The costs of creating new business inventions isn't inexpensive. One of the major pricing and costs of new inventions, however, can be determined fairly easily in advance: the cost of obtaining a U.S. patent.Those new to the world of invention ideas may be shocked to know the average inventor pays thousands of dollars to protect his or her new invention. Only a small...
Protecting Your Web Site Intellectual Property
Keep your images and words under your control
The Internet is a fantastic tool for allowing the world to learn about your company and its products and services — but the Internet's ease of use also allows others to take pictures and descriptions from your site and use them in ways you never intended. A digital image depicting a new product might end up decorating an eBay auction, for example, or text describing your...
Trademarking and the Trademark Registration Process
How to get a trademark registration for your business name and logo
Getting a trademark registration for your business names, logos and slogans has never been faster, easier or less expensive for small businesses. But before we delve into the trademark registration process, we need to explore why trademarking business names and logos is a good idea. To begin, it should be noted that trademarking a business name or logo is not necessary in order...
