Staying ahead of the competition isn`t always easy when you own a business. If you want to keep your product safe from copycats, patent lawyers at Houston Patent Lawyers can help.
So You Want to Know What Patents Are?
Patents are binding documents that protect inventions from being stolen. They`re registered with federal government offices, such as the USPTO in the United States.
Patents consist of 2 primary parts:
-The Invention, or “the claimed subject matter,” refers to what`s not available on the market yet and is something no one else can copy. Think of all those filters you see commercials for and how much better your water bottle should be than every other commercial brand out there.
-The claims, which define what aspects of the product need protection.
The human mind has come up with a lot of interesting and creative inventions. Patents can protect this creativity and deter thieves, so the great minds who create these inventions can reap the benefits of marketing their hard work for a long, long time. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is a very old government agency, having existed since 1836.
How to Succeed as a Business Using Patents
Patents can legally protect your idea for up to 20 years; during that period, you can also financially benefit from creating partnerships of licensing your patents. The costs associated with patents can vary depending on the type of invention or design in question. A Patents will provide a specific estimate for you from their knowledge and experience.
Examples of Successful Patents
Henry Ford used his patent for mass production when he made cars affordable by using an assembly line, where workers moved parts from one station to another on a conveyor belt or other device. The assembly line allowed all the workers to manufacture the product simultaneously rather than individually.
Apple`s patented “slide to unlock” has been a popular feature since the iPod and iPhone were created in conjunction with mass production, and they have had an exclusive right to it, giving them an advantage over competitors who tried to copy it.
The most advanced search engine in the late 90`s was Google, and a key component of its user-friendliness was PageRank, a patented algorithm. PageRank is still a major part of how websites are positioned.
2 Ways to Apply for a Patent
In order to establish an early filing date with the USPTO, an inventor can file a “provisional patent application.” A fully registered patent that lasts forever is not possible with this type of application.
After 12 months have passed, you can go through the “non-provisional patent application” and register a regular patent.
Is There Anything I Should Know Before Applying for a Patent?
Patenting can be a costly mistake if you don`t do the research first. The USPTO makes this information available on their website for curious inventors, though it may be difficult to comprehend for first-timers. A qualified attorney (How to Use Houston Patent Lawyers to Help You Succeed as a Tech Entrepreneur) may have more insights on attempting to patent an idea or invention that is already patented by someone else.
There might be existing intellectual property rights that prevent others from legally developing inventions like yours, so you`ll want to look for them.