The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has created an online tool that is free to use to assist people in identifying whether they possess intellectual property (IP) and provide information on how to protect it. The tool asks individuals a series of questions...
A patent application is a written document with supporting figures that becomes the issued patent following a successful examination by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The patent has several parts including the specification, drawings, claims, and...
Inventors need to know a few potential pitfalls in the development of an invention before a patent application is filed. To avoid any problems, inventors should contact a registered patent practitioner with questions and/or ask for advice on how to proceed. No...
Not all patent applications are long and complicated descriptions of an invention. Utility patent applications are applications that are prepared in a certain format, examined, and issued as an enforceable patent. A provisional patent application, by contrast, may...
