Why Businesses Confide in Patent Lawyers or Attorneys

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 can help.

What Are Patents?

Intellectual property, in particular unique inventions and product designs, is protected from being stolen by competitors with the use of patents. They`re registered in the United States with the USPTO.

Patents can be divided into roughly 2 main sections:

-The invention which is usually a new product or process; it`s also called “the claimed subject matter.” This refers to what`s not available on the market yet – 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.

There are so many interesting and creative inventions that have come from the human mind. Patents help protect these ideas by giving inventors legal rights to their invention for a certain number of years, providing them with an opportunity to profit off their idea before it is stolen or reproduced without permission. The USPTO has been registering patents since 1836.

Why Use a Patent?

If you have a patent, you can protect your idea for a long period of time from competitors. The costs associated with patents can vary depending on the type of invention or design in question. A Patent Lawyers will provide a specific estimate for you from their knowledge and experience.

Real Business Patent Examples

Henry Ford designed the now-standard manufacturing process known as the assembly line, allowing vehicles to be made & sold affordably and at scale without sacrificing quality. He held a patent on this process. The assembly line allowed all the workers to manufacture the product simultaneously rather than individually.

Apple has had an exclusive right to the “slide to unlock” feature of the iPhone and iPad, giving them an advantage over competitors who tried to duplicate it.

When Google came to the market in the late 90`s, it was the most effective search engine of the time, driven by a patented “popularity algorithm” called PageRank. PageRank is still a major part of how websites are positioned.

The Two Main Patent Applications

An inventor can file a “provisional patent application” (available since March 16, 2013), which allows them to establish an early filing date with the USPTO. This type of application can only be used for 12 months, and cannot automatically grant a fully registered patent, unless you apply for it yourself.

It is possible for non-provisional patents to take effect after 12 months.

Is There Anything I Should Know Before Applying for a Patent?

If you don`t do the proper research before patenting your invention, it can be a costly mistake. All of this information can be found at the U.S Patent andTrademark Office website. If an idea or invention is already patented by someone else, a qualified attorney like Houston Patents may have more insights on how to patent it.

There might be existing intellectual property rights that prevent others from legally developing inventions like yours, so you`ll want to look for them.