what is a presentation patent

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June 18, 2020

A Helpful Guide to Ribbon Copies, Certified Patents, Patent Plaques, and More

Anyone with an internet connection and a printer can download and print any U.S. patent from the USPTO, Google Patents, or other sources. When it comes to special physical copies, however, patent owners may understandably be unfamiliar with their purpose, how to treat them, and how to obtain them. These special physical copies include:

Ribbon Copies

Duplicate ribbon copies, certified copies, additional patent copies, presentation copies, patent plaques, certificates of correction and gold seal certificates of correction.

If you are a patent owner, there is a good chance that you already have at least one physical copy — the Ribbon Copy. This is because the USPTO sends the patent owner a Ribbon Copy for “free” upon issuance of the patent. As the trend toward paperless continues, you may be tempted to dismiss Ribbon Copies as dust collectors or souvenirs to hand out.

Think twice. As described below, a Ribbon Copy has significant value during trial and replacing it is difficult. You should store your Ribbon Copies in a safe location.

In addition to the Ribbon Copy, this guide summarizes other types of physical copies, their benefits, and how to obtain them.

After you pay the issue fee in an allowed patent application, the USPTO issues a patent on a subsequent Tuesday and mails out a Ribbon Copy. The Ribbon Copy is also referred to by the more formalistic name of Original Letters Patent.

Although the word “Ribbon” would suggest there is an actual ribbon binding the patent copy, the USPTO has not actually bound Ribbon Copies with a ribbon since 1985. The Ribbon Copy is printed on cardstock and wrapped with a cardstock cover that includes a gold seal (see example below). It has an ornate and official appearance that lends itself to jury presentations. It is also self-authenticating at trial.

The patent owner should consider keeping their Ribbon Copy in a safe, identifiable location (like a locking file cabinet) and not circulating it among anyone (even inventors) for display. This is due to the cost and difficulty of obtaining a replacement (see next section on Duplicate Ribbon Copies). Further, the patent owner should document the storage process and maintain an inventory of Ribbon Copies to help in the event of a loss (for example, a fire or flood).

Figure 1: Ribbon Copy (U.S. Patent Nos. 10,000,000 and up)

From 1985 until Patent No. 10,000,000, the Ribbon Copy looked different (see example below) and actually included two small lengths of ribbon, but is otherwise no different from present Ribbon Copies.

Figure 2: Ribbon Copy (1985-2018)

A duplicate Ribbon Copy (also called a duplicate letters patent) is the same as the original Ribbon Copy and may be obtained if the original Ribbon Copy is lost or destroyed. Obtaining a duplicate Ribbon Copy requires filing a petition under 37 CFR 1.182 and paying a fee under 37 CFR 1.17(f), which is currently $400 (discounts for small or micro entities are available). The petition should lay out the circumstances surrounding the loss, destruction, theft, etc. of the original Ribbon Copy.

From reviewing prior petitions, it appears that if the original Ribbon Copy was not received, the petition may be submitted under 37 CFR 1.181 without a fee. However, this petition must include evidence of the non-receipt at the address of record, such as a record of received mail demonstrating the absence of the original Ribbon Copy.

Duplicate copies are mentioned on the USPTO website , which suggests contacting the Office of Petitions at 571.272.3282 for more details.

A certified copy of patent is mostly an electronic printout of the patent PDF on regular paper, but with two distinctions. First, the certified copy includes a front cover sheet with a gold seal and ink signature (example below). Second, the certified copy includes a footer on every page to show it was printed by the USPTO. These features make certified copies self-authenticating at trial, just like Ribbon Copies and Duplicate Ribbon Copies.

Certified copies may be ordered through the USPTO’s Certified Copy Center . At only $25 per copy, a certified copy is a less expensive option to obtain a self-authenticating copy with an official appearance in the event that the Ribbon Copy is not available.

Figure 3: Cover sheet for a Certified Copy

When paying the issue fee for a patent, the patent owner may order additional copies of the patent to be mailed along with their Ribbon Copy. The additional copies are only $3 each.

The additional copies are not ornate like the Ribbon Copy, though. They are simply double-sided printouts of the patent PDF that are stapled on the left side, which anyone with access to the internet and a duplex printer can print on their own. As one example, patent PDFs are available from the USPTO’s Patent Full Text and Image Database for downloading and printing.

Also referred to as a “Presentation Patent,” a Presentation Copy is the first page of an issued patent printed on 24 lb. cardstock. It includes a certified signature in ink, a gold seal, and a blue ribbon (see example below). The Presentation Copy is ideal for framing, gifting to an inventor, or publicly displaying at an office. It also removes the need to cannibalize the Ribbon Copy for creating such a gift or display.

Despite its presentation value, the fact that a Presentation Copy includes only the patent’s first page means it is not well suited for use at trial or other legal purposes.

Presentation Copies cost $25 each and can be ordered through the USPTO’s Certified Copy Center .

Figure 4: Presentation Copy

Patent plaques are available in a wide array of options from many third parties (they are not available from the USPTO) and are an excellent choice for gifting to inventors or public display. They are generally a more attractive alternative than ordering and framing a Presentation Copy.

One example style of patent plaque, from Patentplaques.com, is provided here:

Figure 5: Patent Plaque (Image courtesy of PatentPlaques.com )

If errors are identified in an issued patent, a request for a Certificate of Correction listing the errors may be filed with the USPTO. There is a $100 fee if any of the listed errors resulted from a mistake made by the applicant.

When the USPTO issues a certificate of correction, a PDF of the certificate of correction can be downloaded from the USPTO’s PAIR system. The USPTO will also mail a Gold Seal Certificate of Correction, which is a printout of the certificate of correction with a gold embossed sticker. The Gold Seal Certificate of Correction creates an official appearance for jury presentation and is self-authenticating. It is a good idea to safely store the Gold Seal Certificates of Correction together with the Ribbon Copies for any future litigation.

You can contact the Certificate of Correction branch of the USPTO at [email protected] to obtain a replacement for the Gold Seal Certificate of Correction.

Figure 6: Gold Seal Certificate of Correction

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The Basics of Patent Drafting

• November 21, 2016
• Read 12 minutes

In this article, you will learn about the basics of patent writing (also called patent drafting), common mistakes patent writers do in patent preparation, and best practices for an effective and good-quality patent draft.

This article is about writing a non-provisional patent application. To understand about how to draft a provisional patent application, please click here: Provisional Patent Drafting.

What is a patent draft? What is patent drafting?

Patent drafting is the immediate next step the moment you think of how to patent an idea. Patent draft is a document you prepare when you decide about filing a patent for your invention. It is this patent draft that is submitted to a Patent Office for review an examination of the invention. If the invention is found to be patent eligible, the Examiner (examining authority) will grant it and converts into an enforceable patent within the specified jurisdiction.

What does a patent drafting process involve?

Drafting a patent application is not as easy as most people think. In fact, drafting a patent application is quite difficult and perhaps one of the most difficult tasks in a patent-related matter. One can write good quality patent applications only after years of patent experience. In many cases, it is not easy to write a good patent application even after years of experience. Many people are never able to write good quality patent drafts on their own even after decades of experience. Patent drafting is an art.

It is advisable to hire a good patent drafting company or a patent drafting expert for the technology domain your invention pertains to if you are not confident of writing a suitable patent draft on your own. It would be a wise decision to spend some money than to waste your invention altogether that you might have nurtured like a baby by filing a poor application that is likely to be rejected or likely to get a poor protection because of badly written patent claims.

You can contact us for cost effective patent drafting services .

Different sections of a patent draft

A patent draft typically includes the following different parts:

• Brief Description
• Detailed Description (also called patent specification)

How to write the title of a patent application?

The title of a patent application should be small and broadly description the invention. Very long titles are usually rejected by patent offices. However, please know that titles are not generally examined. Sometimes, a patent examiner may ask to change the title if the title is not descriptive enough. It is best to avoid being overly narrow in the invention’s title and being overly broad also. Never disclose your invention’s novelty in the Title even though the Title is generally not examined.

The title should sufficiently indicate the subject matter of your invention.

Some examples of a good title of a patent application are:

• Implantable medical system housing
• Sensor virtualization through cloud storage
• Drug eluting system for cardiac devices
• Circuit designing apparatus of an interactive type

Some examples of a poorly written title are:

• System for automatically checking boards bearing integrated circuits, wherein integrated circuits are used in medical devices
• Semiconductor device
• Data management
• A system and method for compressing related datasets of a sequence which compares domain blocks from a current frame buffer to range blocks in a previous frame buffer

How to prepare abstract of a patent application?

According to USPTO rules, it is mandatory that every non-provisional patent application include an Abstract. This Abstract is a concise summary of your invention disclosed in the patent application. You prepare this abstract when you are drafting the patent application for your invention. Abstract allows the Patent Office (and the public in general when it is published) to quickly know the nature of the disclosed subject matter in a patent application.

Although it is only a summary, it is important to write an abstract with care. Federal Courts may rely on an Abstract to construe the patent claims. This is the reason why some attorneys recommend to draft your application’s abstract as broadly as the broadest independent claim of the application.

Common mistakes in drafting an abstract of the patent application

These are some common mistakes drafters make, which should be avoided:

• The abstract is too long
• The abstract is too short
• The abstract is not provided on a separate sheet in the draft
• The language of the abstract is ambiguous and not clear or the abstract includes improper language
• The abstract does not describe the invention clearly
• It includes more than one paragraph

Example of a well written patent abstract:

Example of a poorly written patent abstract:

How to prepare background of a patent application?

The scope of a background section in a patent application is different in different patent regimes. In some patent systems, the background is used to disclose the most relevant prior art for the invention to allow examiners to understand the invention with respect to the prior art already known to the application or inventor. Of course, the examiner will still conduct his/her searchers during the examination. This is the situation in most European patent systems.

In the US, the prior art as submitted by the patent applicant is printed on the cover of the patent itself.

Sometimes, the background serves the purpose of setting the context in which the invention works.

Many patent drafting practitioners recommend to draft the shortest possible background sections because of the fear that they will inadvertently and unintentionally deprive their client of the full scope of patent protection by saying too much about the prior art. They think that the background content may be construed as prior art since it is reserved for prior art disclosure in many jurisdiction. If the applicant’s own invention gets converted even briefly in the background section, the patent examiner may cite this portion in the office action rejection.

Some patent offices and attorneys particularly take a hard approach around background sections. This is the reason why it is recommended to write a short background section. Even some attorneys go on to the extent of just writing a few sentences targeted to the prior art disclosure statements or simply their titles as a matter of care.

How to prepare summary of a patent application?

Not all jurisdictions require this section. But some jurisdictions keep summary section as a mandatory component. But customarily, many writers prepare summaries even if the jurisdiction does not strictly require it.

Most attorneys and patent writers give a lot of importance to patent summaries, even though the reality is that it is not an important section at all. The summary of the invention section should ideally be the last part of the patent application that the patent writer writes. There is usually a temptation to draft the summary in the beginning as appears near the beginning of the application. But this should be avoided until the specification has significantly been written. Otherwise, many times, it is seen that the summary affects the way the specification evolves, which may majorly cause deviation from the original scope of the invention.

Often, major mistakes are committed in drafting patent invention summaries. Some of the common mistakes are:

• Sometimes, drafters write “big picture” summary thinking that it will cover everything and not limit the scope of the invention. There are chances that it goes beyond the scope of claims. Such a too broad summary may indicate additional prior art pieces also in a way that the summary can be applied against the invention.
• A too broad summary is written by many writers, which may also indicate that the claims are not at the fullest of the scope. This is not a good practice.
• A too narrow summary may also be dangerous as some examiners may consider it as the scope of the invention.

It is recommended to prepare the summary based on the claims. Some attorneys simply paraphrase independent claims to generate the summary section. Some attorneys prefer to paraphrase all the claims and use this to create a summary.

Writing brief description of figures for a patent application?

Brief description includes listing of the various statements of the figures. Generally, it is prepared based on the statements that are introduced in the specification to refer to a figure. If an application involves multiple figures, brief descriptions are written for all the figures. It is not necessary to write brief descriptions for each figure separately. Sometimes, if multiple figures are part of a bigger overview or context, they can together be listed and described with same statement.

Some examples of brief descriptions of figures are:

FIG. 1 is a simplified schematic view of the kidney vasculature, in some embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 4A-4D illustrate positioning of an energy emission element inside a first lumen, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

Writing detailed description of a patent draft

The detailed description section is also called “preferred embodiment of invention” section or the “disclosed embodiment of the invention”. The purpose of the detailed description is to provide a sufficient explanation of the invention such that an ordinary person skilled in the art can make and understand the invention. This section along with summary is also referred to as “specification”.

The detailed description is written with reference to drawings. It must be prepared very carefully because unlike claims, this section cannot be amended once the application is filed. Down the line during examination, an examiner may submit rejections which may require amendment in claims. All such amendments can be made only if the amended claims are enabled and described in the specification already without making any changes. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the description is prepared careful with necessary details and also covering all the preferred embodiments along with support for possible fall back positions for future claim amendment purposes.

Some important points to consider while writing the detailed description of a patent application:

• Any abstract terms such as means plus functions in the claims should be appropriately described in the detailed description for providing enough support to the claimed terms.
• The detailed description should ensure that entire invention disclosure material is added.
• It should provide sufficient information to enable an ordinary person skilled in the art (POSITA) to reproduce the invention.
• It should provide sufficient depth of disclosure so that the claims can be narrowed later on during patent prosecution.
• The section must include disclosure of the best mode of carrying out the invention known to the inventors without necessarily pointing out that this is the best mode known to inventors.
• Avoid use of phrases such as “the invention is…”. Instead, you can use terms and phrases such as “in an embodiment of the invention”. This ensures that broadest patent protection is received.
• Patent specification filed in the US must satisfy the three requirements of – enablement, written description and best mode. Other patent laws in other countries also have similar requirements of enablement and written description.

For specification, the patent law of the US requires that:

“The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. 35 U.S.C. § 112, 1st ¶.

Drafting claims of a patent application

This is perhaps the most important part of a patent application. Claims define scope of the protection. Without claims, there is no protection of the disclosed technology and invention. The claims are the legally-operative section of a patent application and everything revolves around the claims of an invention sought for protection through a patent application.

It is a good practice to first define a sketch of the claims before you actually start drafting a patent application. The quality of claims defines the quality of patent drafting. While we will have a separate chapter for best practices of claims writing, here are some quick tips for writing good claims:

• It is preferable to draft the claims first.
• It is a good practice to draft several sets of claims in the beginning and then zero on to a final set after the specifications is complete. This allows to cover the invention in the specification from a variety of aspects and also allows to capture multiple fall back positions as the description cannot be amended in future during examination when rejections arrive from the Office.
• It is recommended to first prepare a “picture” claim for an invention during the meeting with inventors in a language that inventors can also understand. This gives an opportunity to everyone for a discussion on the claims and understand the invention better through cross-questioning, which is a healthy exercise for drafting a patent application disclosure.
• The drafter should carefully revisit the claims after drafting the specification because of their important in the patent application.
• Once the claims are completed, the draftsperson should check if the drawings and specification includes and describes all the claimed terms appropriately.
• If any highly abstract term such as “a smart cleaning device” is used in claims, it must be enabled and described properly in the specification. It is better to cite some examples where this term applies.

There are two types of claims:

Independent claims: An independent claim is a standalone claim that contains a preamble and elements that are necessary to define the invention. The claim contains novel and non-features of the invention.

Dependent claims: A dependent claim may refer to one or more independent claims or one or more dependent claims or both independent and dependent claims. Its scope is defined along with the claim it refers to.

In patent drafting, at least one independent claim has to be included.

Example of an independent claim:

“A device for delivering energy to treat tissue, said device comprising: a catheter; an energy emission element disposed at a distal end of said catheter, said energy emission element adapted to transmit energy with parameters to damage tissue; a controller to control said energy emission element, wherein said controller has at least one setting selected for treating tissue through a stent.”

Example of a dependent claim:

“The device according to claim 1, wherein said device is configured for heating smooth muscle cells on the vessel wall in contact with the stent to prevent restenosis.”

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What is a patent.

A patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention, which is a product or a process that provides, in general, a new way of doing something, or offers a new technical solution to a problem. To get a patent, technical information about the invention must be disclosed to the public in a patent application.

In principle, the patent owner has the exclusive right to prevent or stop others from commercially exploiting the patented invention. In other words, patent protection means that the invention cannot be commercially made, used, distributed, imported or sold by others without the patent owner's consent.

Patents are territorial rights. In general, the exclusive rights are only applicable in the country or region in which a patent has been filed and granted, in accordance with the law of that country or region.

The protection is granted for a limited period, generally 20 years from the filing date of the application.

Read the full list of patent FAQs .

Weird and wonderful

Seven out-of-the-ordinary patents you probably didn’t know existed .

WIPO COVID-19 Response: Launch of a discussion paper on the interplay between patents and trade secrets in medical technologies

The discussion paper addresses how patents and trade secrets interact with each other throughout the innovation process and product value chain in the field of medical technologies, which covers a wide range of products from pharmaceuticals to digital medical devices. The paper also includes a case study regarding the use of patents and trade secrets in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic.

More about the authors:

• Professor Tanya Aplin , The Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
• Dr. John Liddicoat , Senior Lecturer, The Dickson Poon School of Law, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
• Mr. Benny Spiewak , Partner, SPLAW Advogados, São Paulo, Brazil

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Patent topics and issues All topics

Patents are not just abstract concepts; they play an invaluable, practical role in everyday life. By rewarding ideas, patents encourage the development of innovations and new technologies in every field. Explore patent topics and issues .-->

Biotech and genes

To what extent are biotechnology processes and products patentable? How do gene patents affect medical care and gene testing research and development? Opinions are divided.

Nanotechnology

While nanotechnology innovations appear generally suitable for patent protection, certain issues require further consideration.

Patent law and treaties

The treaties WIPO administers, together with national and regional laws, make up the international legal framework for patents.  

Patent-related treaties

The first major international agreement relating to the protection of industrial property rights, including patents. It outlines, in particular, national treatment, the right of priority, and a number of common rules in the field of substantive patent law. Find out more about the Paris Convention .

This treaty established an international patent filing system, making it possible to seek patent protection for an invention simultaneously in each of a large number of countries. Find out more about the PCT .

A regularly updated international system for classifying inventions in patent applications, allowing more efficient search and retrieval of patent information. Find out more about the Strasbourg Agreement .

The PLT establishes common and, as a general rule, maximum requirements regarding many of the procedural formalities relating to national/regional patent applications and patents. Find out more about the PLT .

The Budapest Treaty concerns the international disclosure of biotechnological inventions. It stipulates that, for the purpose of the patent procedure, the deposit of microorganisms with an "international depository authority" must be recognized by any contracting state. Find out more about the Budapest Treaty .

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Pct — the international patent system.

The Patent and Cooperation Treaty (PCT) allows you to make a single international patent application that has the same effect as national applications filed in separate PCT states. In a nutshell, you benefit from one application , in one language paid for in one currency .

DAS and CASE — Services for patent offices

The WIPO Digital Access Service (DAS)  allows priority and other similar documents to be securely exchanged among participating intellectual property offices.

The Centralized Access to Search and Examination (CASE) system enables patent offices to securely share the search and examination documentation related to patent applications, facilitating a more effective and efficient international examination process.

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Using PATENTSCOPE you can search through more than 43 million patent documents, including international patent applications submitted under the PCT .

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The Patent Register Portal is your gateway to online patent registers and gazettes and to legal-status-related information from over 200 jurisdictions and patent information collections.

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Patent Landscape Reports describe the patent situation for a specific technology in a given geographical area. Our reports break down and analyze key information from patent searches for easier visualization and comprehension.

WIPO INSPIRE

This Index of Specialized Patent Information Reports is an online platform providing free access to comprehensive, unbiased, and structured reports on many patent databases from around the world.

IPC — Streamlining searches

The International Patent Classification (IPC) is used to classify patents and utility models according to the different areas of technology to which they relate.

Frequently asked questions

Find out more about searching and using the patent information contained in patent documents .

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One of the main functions of the patent system is to foster technological innovation by providing an incentive for research and development. The patent system also works to diseminate technical information and promote technology transfer.

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Our Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) program gives innovators in developing countries access to high quality technology information and related services to help them create, protect, and manage intellectual property rights.

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WIPO supports mutually-beneficial technology transfer through patent information services, innovation support programs and tools, projects and activities by WIPO Committees, public-private partnerships and dispute resolution services. We also organize knowledge transfer-related activities, including capacity building and training on transfer of technology.

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The Inventor Assistance Program matches developing country inventors and small businesses with limited financial means with patent attorneys, who provide pro bono legal assistance to secure patent protection.

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The Patent Drafting Training Program assists users of the patent system to develop practical skills in drafting and filing patent applications.

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Inventive Law Inc.

Patents presentation, a patent for an invention (something useful, unique and non-obvious) is the grant of a property right to the inventor, issued by a government or an authorized multi-national agency., the patent rights include the right to exclude others, unlike copyrights and trade secrets, independent creation is not a defense to a claim of infringement., patents are considered the strongest form of intellectual property, patents = the right to exclude others, a patent gives the owner the right to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, selling, or importing the invention. note, this is not the right to make the invention., this right is only valid in the country that issued the patent., the patent owner may authorize others to use his/her property right under certain conditions. these are called patent licenses., the term of a new patent is usually 20 years from the filing date of the patent application., not enforceable until the application issues into a patent..

Patents – What Kinds Are There?

Utility patents, – protect functional use or functional structure, other types of patents, – design patents – how products “look“, their ornamental design, apart from utilitarian/functional features – plant patents – grafting or genetic alteration, provisional “patent“ application, – not itself an enforceable patent, as such, but allows claim of “patent pending” – not examined, expires in one year, only as good as technical disclosure, but may establish an early filing date, non-provisional patent application, examined and granted as the standard enforceable 20 year patent, patents – why file a patent application, → create a defensive portfolio and thereby create cross-license opportunities, → create design freedom for technical staff, → increase business valuation – us and abroad, → create obstacles for competitors, → create licensing assets for potential revenue, → create an offensive portfolio for patent enforcement, → open monopolies with patent leverage, →obtain recognition in a technology area, → maintain ownership of employee designs, patents – what ideas to file on, protect features which distinguish a product in the marketplace., → patents should be sought for ideas which give products a technological or other competitive advantage over competitors., protect ideas which are easily identifiable., → it is important to have patents for inventions which, when embodied in a third party’s product, can be readily identified or that can be easily determined through reverse engineering., protect ideas that have a relatively long product life (greater than 2 years)., → a patent will take approximately 2-4 years to issue and is not enforceable until then., do not discount “business method” patents., → amazon’s “one-click” patent. obtained injunction against b&n and forced them to redesign their site., → priceline.com obtained a patent on on-line reverse auctions. suit filed against microsoft in late 1999., → fantasysports.com obtained patents for on-line fantasy football games. suit filed against sportsline.com, yahoo, espn, and others in late 1999., patents – legal requirements, ⚆ statutory – the invention must fit one of the legal categories of protectable inventions (e.g., a mechanical device, a machine, a compound, a composition of matter, a method/process, or software apparatus/system), ⚆ novel and useful- the invention must be useful and new or novel (e.g., no one else has, before certain prescribed dates, either patented, used, sold or otherwise publicly disclosed the invention which is sought to be patented), ⚆ non-obvious – the invention cannot be “obvious” to persons of ordinary skill in the relevant field of technology, when viewed in light of knowledge such persons would ordinarily have, ⚆ not abandoned – the inventor has not somehow abandoned the invention, patents – business criteria, legal criteria, → new / novel, → not obvious, business criteria, → business value > something competitors likely to copy > how significant if we could stop them, → detectable > would we be able to detect whether a competitor is using the invention, → policy > better to keep as trade secret, → longevity > will the feature/concept become obsolete soon, patents – time element, patent rights for an invention are forfeit if a patent application is not filed on the invention within one year of the earliest of:, ⚆ first printed publication or patent issued (anywhere in the world) in which the invention was described, ⚆ first sale or offer for sale in the united states, ⚆ first public use in the united states, → 12 month grace period, → not publicly disclosed/used more the 12 month before filing date, → not sold/offered for sale more that 12 month before filing date, → patent rights accrue to the ‘first to invent’, → no 12 month grace period, → not publicly disclosed before filing date of patent application, → but sale/offer for sale does not necessarily = public disclosure, → patent rights accrue to the ‘first to file’, patents – patent application process, ⚆ disclosure, ⚆ optional search, ⚆ optional provisional application, ⚆ regular u.s. non-provisional national application, ⚆ prosecution || appeal, ⚆ issue/maintenance fees, patents – application content, → what is the current state of the art, → what are problems with the current state of the art, detailed description, → engineering portion = disclosure, → must meet “disclosure” requirements, → describe drawings, → legal portion = monopoly, → define “metes and bounds”/scope of patent, → patent attorney’s value-add, → must meet novelty and non-obviousness criteria, patents – claim types.

Patents – Use of Claims

⚆ claims are used by the patent examiner to determine patentability (useful, novel, non-obvious), ⚆ claims used by plaintiffs to determine infringement by defendants, ⚆ claims used by defendants to determine validity of plaintiff’s patent, ⚆ claims used by potential licensors/licensees to determine need and cost of a patent license, patents – detailed description.

⚆ Enable someone of ordinary skill in the art to make the invention * Without “undue experimentation”

⚆ If invention has more than one implementation, must disclose the best way * No “hiding the ball”

Patents – Technology to Cover

E.g., electronics and software, ⚈ systems (computer, comms., network), ⚈ database structures, ⚈ architectures (ic, system, etc.), ⚈ user interfaces), ⚈ methods of doing business (transaction processes), patents – drawings.

Networking Architecture Drawing Example

Procedure at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office

⚈ patent application is received and assigned a filing date and serial number. the patent application is kept confidential in the patent office during pendency until publication at 18 months after filing., ⚈ application is assigned to an art group and an examiner., ⚈ examination commences after a long delay after filing, sometimes up to two years., ⚈ examiner performs a search and issues an office action, which is the examiner’s report of his/her results of the examination of the patent application. the examiner cites all prior art found that relates to the claimed invention. typically, the examiner rejects the claims the first time., ⚈ the applicant/patent attorney responds to the office action by making arguments asserting that the claims are patentable over the prior art and/or amending the claims if necessary to differentiate from the prior art., ⚈ repeat office action / response as necessary., ⚈ application is allowed or finally rejected., ⚈ patent issues if allowed – appeal is possible if finally rejected., wright brothers patent, iu.s. patent no. 821,393, issued may 22, 1906, claim 1. in a flying-machine, a normally flat aeroplane having lateral marginal portions capable of movement to different positions above or below the normal plane of the body of the aeroplane, such movement being about an axis transverse to the line of flight, whereby said lateral marginal portions may be moved to different angles relatively to the normal plane of the body of the aeroplane, so as to present to the atmosphere different angles of incidence, and means for so moving said lateral marginal portions substantially as described..

Amazon One-Click Patent

U.s. patent no. 5,960,411, issued sep. 25, 1999, a method of placing an order for an item comprising: under control of a client system, displaying information identifying the item; and in response to only a single action being performed, sending a request to order the item along with an identifier of a purchaser of the item to a server system; under control of a single-action ordering component of the server system, receiving the request; retrieving additional information previously stored for the purchaser identified by the identifier in the received request; and generating an order to purchase the requested item for the purchaser identified by the identifier in the received request using the retrieved additional information; and fulfilling the generated order to complete purchase of the item whereby the item is ordered without using a shopping cart ordering model..

Managing Patents

⚈ develop a strategy for patent use, ⚈ inventory and register inventions and key technologies. use engineer notebooks and invention disclosure forms., ⚈ provide incentives to inventors, ⚈ evaluate competitors, ⚈ avoid infringement, ⚈ integrate product development and patent strategy, ⚈ conduct internal patent awareness and training programs to encourage and enable submission of invention disclosures., ⚈ become involved early in the product development cycle., ⚈ some level of in-house patent prosecution capability may ultimately be desirable, ⚈ consider patent acquisition from related businesses or individual patent owners., ⚈ use an annuity service to pay patent maintenance fees., ⚈ closely monitor patent expenditures. it is not unusual to spend $50k – $70k over the life of a patent for u.s. and foreign prosecution and annuities., managing foreign patents, ⚈ u.s. filing date can be used as foreign priority date by treaty., ⚈ invention cannot have been made available to the public prior to the priority date., ⚈ consider which foreign countries or regions may most likely make, use, or sell the invention, ⚈ countries requiring translation will be more expensive. estimate $3k-$5k per english-speaking country, $8k – $12k per non-english-speaking country, ⚈ in general, file 15% – 25% of the u.s. applications in appropriate foreign countries, ⚈ patent cooperation treaty (pct) applications can be used to defer foreign national filings for up to 30 months after priority date. however, a pct application is not an enforceable patent., ⚈ use foreign associates to assist foreign prosecution and to pay foreign annuities., ⚈ closely monitor foreign filing expenditures..

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Patents: Slides from Patent Workshop

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Upcoming Patent Workshops

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UCSD faculty and staff who would like to learn about the patenting process and how to search for patents on the web.

 Description:

Patents are critically important in protecting intellectual property and companies are investing fortunes in them to safeguard their inventions.   It is estimated that between 2010 and 2012 in the smartphone industry alone, over $20 billion was spent on patent purchases and litigation.  Without the protection afforded by patent coverage, technological innovation would dry up.

 In this class, you will learn how patents protect your intellectual property and what rights they confer, what to expect in the patent application process, how to read and interpret patent documents, and why international patents matter. Learn how you can work with the UCSD Technology Transfer  Office to manage and protect your inventions. Finally, learn about free web search engines you can use to discover if your invention has already been patented.  Even if you don't have an invention on the drawing board, this class will give you valuable insight into how patents work.

Staff & faculty register through  UC Learning Center .  Search on “patents” in the search box.

 Students contact  Dave Schmitt ([email protected]).

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What Is a Patent?

Understanding patents, types of patents, how to apply for a patent, patent statistics, examples of patents.

• Patent vs. Trademark vs. Copyright

Patent FAQs

The bottom line.

• Business Essentials

What Is a Patent in Simple Terms? With Examples

Investopedia / Xiaojie Liu

A patent is the granting of a property right by a sovereign authority to an inventor. This grant provides the inventor exclusive rights to the patented process, design, or invention for a designated period in exchange for a comprehensive disclosure of the invention. They are a form of incorporeal right .

Government agencies typically handle and approve applications for patents. In the United States, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), which is part of the Department of Commerce, handles applications and grants approvals.

Key Takeaways

• A patent is the granting of a property right by a sovereign authority to an inventor. 
• A patent provides the inventor exclusive rights to the patented process, design, or invention for a certain period in exchange for a complete disclosure of the invention.
• In June of 2018, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued its 10 millionth patent.
• Utility patents are the most common patent issued in the United States, accounting for 90% of all issued patents.
• Utility and plant patents are granted for 20 years, whereas design patents are granted for either 14 or 15 years, depending on when filed.

Most patents are valid for 20 years in the U.S. from the date the application was filed with the USPTO, although there are circumstances where exceptions are made to extend a patent's term. U.S. patents are only valid in the United States and U.S. Territories. If seeking protection outside of the United States, it is important to research the intellectual property rights of other nations and apply for protection with their governing authorities.=

According to the United States Code, a patent can be granted to:

Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof....

There are three types of patents available in the United States: utility patents, design patents, and plant patents. Each has its own specifications and durations.

Utility Patents

Utility patents , or patents for invention, issue legal protection to people who invent a new and useful process, an article of manufacture, a machine, or a composition of matter. Utility patents are the most common type of patent, with more than 90% of patents issued by the U.S. government belonging to this category. A utility patent lasts for 20 years from the date of filing as long as maintenance fees are paid. Maintenance fees are surcharges applied to utility patent applications filed after Dec. 12, 1980.

Design Patents

Design patents are patents issued for original, new, and ornamental designs for manufactured products. Design patents protect the design or look of something. They require the invention to which the design belongs to be original. Design patents last for 15 years for applications filed on or after May 13, 2015. For applications filed before May 13, 2015, patents last for 14 years from the date of the filing. Maintenance fees do not apply to design patents.

Plant Patents

Plant patents go to anyone who produces, discovers, and invents a new kind of plant capable of reproduction. These patents are granted for 20 years from the date of filing and no maintenance fees apply.

Patents provide an incentive for companies or individuals to continue developing innovative products or services without the fear of infringement. For example, large pharmaceutical companies can spend billions of dollars on research and development. Without patents, their drugs and medicines could be duplicated and sold by companies that didn't research or invest the needed capital for R&D.

In other words, patents protect the intellectual property of companies to help their profitability. However, patents also serve as bragging rights for companies demonstrating their innovativeness.

Before making a formal application, an applicant should research the Patent and Trademark Office's database to see if another person or institution has claimed a patent for a similar invention. The invention must be different from or an improvement upon a previous design to be considered for a patent. Applicants need to take care to maintain accurate records of the design process and the steps taken to create the invention. Enforcing the patent is up to the person or entity that applied for the patent.

To apply for a patent in the United States, the applicant submits specific documents and pays associated fees. Written documentation includes drawings, descriptions, and claims of the item to be patented. A formal oath or declaration confirming the authenticity of the invention or improvement of an existing invention must be signed and submitted by the inventor. After fee payment, the application is reviewed and either approved or denied.

Patents protect the intellectual property of companies and help ensure their profitability, but patents also serve as marketing for a company's innovation.

The USPTO receives more than 500,000 patent applications per year with just over 300,000 of them granted. The agency had over 14,000 employees in 2023, of whom approximately 60% of them were patent examiners while the remaining worked in the legal and technical areas.

In June of 2018, the USPTO issued its 10 millionth patent. Many patents issued go to companies in the technology industry where Apple was granted 2,285 in 2022. Microsoft and Google were also granted patents. However, IBM typically receives more than any company in the U.S.—IBM was granted over 8,000 patents in 2021 alone.

One of the most notable patents was for the personal computer, filed in 1980 by Steve Jobs and three other employees of Apple Inc.

King C. Gillette patented the razor in 1904. It was dubbed a "safety razor." Garrett Morgan was granted a patent for the traffic light in 1923. The patent for the television was issued in 1930 to Philo Taylor Farnsworth for the first "television system."

At age 21, Farnsworth had created the first electric television image and went on to invent an early model of the electronic microscope.

Patents vs. Trademarks vs. Copyrights

Patents are legal rights issued to inventors to protect their inventions for a certain time, usually 20 years. They exclude others from reproducing, using, or profiting from it without the expressed permission of the patent owner. The granting authority issues a patent in exchange for permission to publish details about the invention, such as how it's made and what it's used for.

Trademarks are legal protections on words, phrases, designs, or marks that identify a specific product or service. Trademarks are intellectual property that contribute to the image and reputation of the product or service to which it belongs, and to the company to which it belongs. Beyond symbolism, a trademark can be incredibly valuable to a company, prompting some companies to include them in their valuation. Trademarks are protected forever, as long as it's in use and the holder can defend it. Examples of trademarks include the golden arch for McDonald's, the Nike swoosh, and Apple's apple.

Copyrights are legal protections on creative works of the mind, or according to the United States Patent and Trademark Office "original works of authorship." They include visual art, literary works, other writings, choreography, and software. Copyrights prevent others from reproducing the work without the express permission of the copyright owner. Like other intellectual property, copyrights are granted for a specific time, allowing the holder to benefit from its creation. Copyrights are granted for the maximum period of 70 years from the death of the author for works created on or after Jan. 1, 1978. Exceptions apply to works for hire and anonymous works.

Copyrights for works for hire or anonymous works are granted for 95 years from their publication or 120 years from creation, which occurs first.

What Does Patent Mean?

A patent is a legal right to an invention given to a person or entity without interference from others who wish to replicate, use, or sell it. Patents are granted by governing authorities and have a time limit, usually 20 years.

What Are Examples of Patents?

Examples of historic patented inventions include common products that we use daily, including the telephone, dishwasher, and lightbulb. Patents protected until 2033 include Boeing's Water Harvesting system, Disney's method for reproducing human actions with robots, and Google's medical response drone.

What Are the 3 Types of Patents?

The three types of patents are utility patents, design patents, and plant patents. Utility patents are issued for inventions that are novel and useful. Design patents protect the design or image of a product. Plant patents are issued to applicants for plants that can reproduce.

How Much Is a Patent?

Patent costs vary according to the type of patent applied for and are based on several other factors, such as the type of applicant, provisional or nonprovisional status, and associated fees—search fees, examination fees, post-allowance fees, the cost of a patent agent or attorney, and more. If using the services of an attorney , you can expect costs to range from approximately $5,000 to more than $45,000.

How Long Does a Patent Last?

Utility and plant patents last for 20 years from the date of filing, while design patents last for 15 years if filed on or after May 13, 2015, or 14 years if filed before May 13, 2015.

Patents are legal rights granted to inventors for their creations. Government divisions, such as the United States Patent and Trademark Office, issue patents and other intellectual property rights to inventors, authors, and other creators. Patent rights give exclusive rights to use, replicate, or sell the protected invention without interference from others who wish to do the same. In exchange, the issuing authority is granted the right to publish the details of the invention.

Patents are granted for a limited time, such as 20 years from the date of filing for plant and utility patents and 14 or 15 years for design patents. Patents issued in the United States only offer protection within the U.S. To extend protection in other nations, the applicant must apply with the governing authority of that nation.

United States Code. “ 35 USC 101: Inventions Patentable .”

United States Patent and Trademark Office. “ U.S. Patent Statistics Chart Calendar Years 1963 - 2020 .”

United States Patent and Trademark Office. “ Patent Essentials .”

United States Patent and Trademark Office. " Maintain Your Patent ."

United States Patent and Trademark Office. “ Applying for Patents .”

United States Patent and Trademark Office. " Types of Patents ."

U.S. Department of Commerce. “ U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Fiscal Year 2023: The President’s Budget and Congressional Justification .” Pages 3, 10.

United States Patent and Trademark Office. “ United States Issues Patent Number 10,000,000 .”

Statista. “ Companies With the Most U.S. Patents Granted to Them in 2021 and 2022 .”

Google Patents. “ Personal Computer .”

Google Patents. “ Razor ."

United States Patent and Trademark Office. “ Of Courage and Caution .”

Google Patents. “ Television System .”

National Inventors Hall of Fame. “ Philo Taylor Farnsworth .”

United States Patent and Trademark Office. “ What Is a Trademark? ”

United States Patent and Trademark Office. " Copyright Basics ."

Google Patents. “ Water Harvesting System .”

Google Patents. “ Robot Action Based on Human Demonstration .”

Google Patents. “ Multi-Part Navigation Process by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for Navigating to a Medical Situatiion .”

Patent Trademark Blog. " How Much Does a Patent Cost? It Really Depends ."

United States Patent and Trademark Office. " 2701 Patent Term [R-10.2019] ."

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Patent Prosecution: Everything You Need to Know

Patent prosecution is the legal right to protect your intellectual property. It typically refers to the process of obtaining patent protection on an idea. 9 min read updated on February 01, 2023

What Is Patent Prosecution?

Patent prosecution is the legal right to protect your intellectual property . In a legal sense, the phrase "patent prosecution" typically refers to the plaintiff's side of a patent-related lawsuit. But when looking at  patent law  as a whole, patent prosecution usually refers to the process of obtaining patent protection on an idea, invention, design, or plant. If a patent holder is looking to take legal action against someone who infringed on his patent, he would seek a litigator who specializes in patent law. But when going through the process of patent prosecution, or applying for a patent, you would want to look for a patent lawyer.

Patent prosecution includes several steps:

• Developing a strategy for intellectual property protection .
• Developing claims that define your invention.
• Preparing patent applications to submit to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
• Creating drawings and images to the USPTO specifications of the design or invention.
• Filing patent applications with the USPTO.
• Arguing your claims that your invention or design is eligible for patent protection.

When working with an attorney for patent prosecution, you must find one that holds a license to practice law in your state as well as a license to practice law in front of the patent office.

The first step in patent prosecution occurs when you file an application with the USPTO, or your attorney files it on your behalf. The waiting period is about 24 months for most patent applications, after which the application will be assigned to a reviewer.

The examining stage is a very important part of the patent prosecution process. The examiner and the applicant will typically go back and forth for a while to determine whether the claims are accurate and how much property the applicant owns. Your patent reviewer will also perform an extensive search of prior art to make sure your application doesn't violate patent terms .

The reviewer will either agree with your  claims , thus approving your patent application, or deny the claims that your idea is patentable . If your application is rejected, the next step in patent prosecution is filing an appeal. If you don't want to fight the denial, you can resign the case, but you will not receive patent protection. You can also request for reconsideration of your case, file an appeal of the final rejection, or request a continued examination to extend the examination period.

You may choose to file a provisional patent application as your first step in patent prosecution. This application allows you to extend the deadline for filing for patent protection on your idea. The deadline for a non-provisional patent is 12 months from the introduction of your idea in a public setting. But filing a provisional application gives you another 12 months to prepare your non-provisional application. If you don't submit within that time frame, you could lose the opportunity to continue the patent prosecution process.

Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program

The Patent Prosecution Highway pilot program is offered to certain applications on the national level. Qualifying for the program requires the Office of First Filing to rule that one or more claims in the application are patentable. In order to meet that criteria, the application must go through pre-exam processing. Before going to examination, the applicant can request that it go to the Office of Second Filing for accelerated processing.

The purpose of the program is to reduce duplicate searches and reviews performed by USPTO officials since the workload can be shared between multiple offices in the review process. Both the Office of First Filing and Office of Second Filing partner with other countries, including Australia, Korea, Canada, Japan, Denmark, Singapore, Finland, Hungary, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

One of the benefits of this program is faster processing since the applicant should receive approval or rejection within two months of his or her request. Some applicants receive approval within just two to 15 days. Examiners can work quickly by reusing search and examination results, such as allowances and reports. The cost of participating in the Patent Prosecution Highway program is also less since it doesn't require a filing fee. The overall expense of patent prosecution is lower as well.

Participation in the Patent Prosecution Highway program does not guarantee approval of your application. But the success rate is higher: about 98 percent of applications submitted through the program are approved.

In order to participate, applicants must file:

• A request for participation in the program, which will include a request to advance the application for examination out of turn.
• A copy of the office action issued before the "Decision to Grant a Patent" was made.
• A claims correspondence table that certifies all claims made correspond to patentable claims in the application.
• An information disclosure statement that lists all documents included.

All documents must be in English.

The United Kingdom has its own fast track system, which is not part of the Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot program. It does allow applicants in the U.K. to request accelerated examination on applications that have received positive International Preliminary Reports on Patentability . The reports can be under either Chapter I or Chapter II and come from any authority. On June 8, 2012, the U.K. relaxed the system slightly to allow an applicant to change a submitted international application and still qualify for accelerated review.

Why Is Patent Prosecution Important?

Understanding every necessary step of patent prosecution is important for anyone who is considering applying for patent protection on an idea. The process of getting approval can take years, and there are significant fees associated with the applications. When you have a better understanding of what is required, you will know how to plan for the process and what to expect in terms of timeline and cost.

Working with an attorney who understands patent prosecution can simplify the process drastically. Your lawyer will help you fill out forms correctly and may even have contacts who can handle the specific drawings required for applications. Any correspondence from the USPTO and your assigned reviewer will go through your attorney, so you don't have to argue with the reviewer about your claims or decode confusing legal jargon.

Reasons to Consider Not Using Patent Prosecution

You might decide not to move forward in the patent prosecution process because it is so expensive and time-consuming. First-time inventors may not have enough money to pay the fees or hire a lawyer for assistance in filing for patent protection.

If you perform a search of existing patents and find that your idea is similar to another patented idea, you will most likely not qualify for patent protection. Going through patent prosecution is not worth your time or money because the USPTO will search through patents as part of the review process. 

Another reason you might not go through the patent prosecution process is if your idea includes more than one invention. In this case, you would need to submit separate applications for each invention. If the additional applications are submitted while the original application is in a pending status, they would be called "divisional applications" and fall under the original filing date.

It is very likely that the first application for a patent will be rejected. In fact, more than 85 percent of patent applications are rejected as the first office action. But over half of the patent applications submitted eventually are approved. If you want to continue to fight for patent protection, you have the legal right to do so. Some applicants will take the rejection and abandon the application, while others will adjust their claims and modify their patent requests until they can receive protection.

Another option after rejection is filing an appeal with the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). In order to do so, you will need to submit a Notice of Appeal, a brief to support your position, and the required appeal fee. The PTAB may hold an oral hearing, but it typically takes several years to receive a decision.

If the PTAB rejects your appeal, you can file another appeal with the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit or take civil action against the Commissioner in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. In the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, a judge will review the record and either affirm or reverse the denial. If you take civil action, you may have to testify in court, and that court will make a decision. 

Instead of filing an appeal, you can request continued prosecution of the patent application by the patent examiner . This option requires you to submit a request for continued examination and your response to the final action from the USPTO. The USPTO will evaluated your application again and can either approve the patent or issue another office action. Some applicants choose to continue filing for continued prosecution multiple times to get an approved patent.

Reasons to Consider Using Patent Prosecution

Going through patent prosecution gives you the opportunity to protect your intellectual property and take legal action against anyone who tries to copy your ideas or designs. If you have an idea that meets all of the necessary criteria for a patent, it is worth pursuing patent prosecution to protect your interests.

When going through the process of patent prosecution, you must be careful not to make your claims too broad. Many patent applicants struggle to achieve broad protection, yet create narrow claims that will distinguish the invention or design from prior art.

All claims made during patent prosecution are binding on the application. The applicant no longer has the right to argue for certain specifics of the invention or design if he or she has made different claims about the function or appearance in patent prosecution. This is referred to as "prosecution disclaimer."

The deadline to begin patent prosecution is 12 months from the first introduction of your idea or design to the public. If you don't file an application, either provisional or non-provisional, in that time, you will likely lose the chance to file for patent protection on that idea. 

Most notices and responses from the USPTO examiner come with six-month deadlines, so the applicant or representing lawyer must respond within that time to avoid having to abandon the application.

What Could Happen When You Use Patent Prosecution?

When you begin the patent prosecution process, you should expect to wait months or years to receive a response. Most applications don't go in front of a reviewer for two years. But as soon as you begin the process, you can start using " patent pending " on your product or design to alert the public that you are seeking a patent.

You can only use the patent pending status when you have an application on file with the USPTO. If you submit a provisional patent, you may refer to the patent pending status. But if you don't file a non- provisional patent application within the 12-month time frame, you no longer have a patent application pending with the USPTO, and you cannot use that term on your product or materials.

If your patent is approved, you can take advantage of the legal protections that come from going through patent prosecution. You can take legal action against anyone who infringes on your patent and sue for damages to recoup funds lost as a result of the infringement. Patent holders also can license their ideas to other companies or individuals to make additional income.

What Could Happen When Don't You Use Patent Prosecution?

Without going through patent prosecution, your idea will not have any legal protection. Anyone can copy your design or invention without legal risks. You also will not own the rights to profit from the idea.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How long does patent prosecution take?

Patent prosecution often takes several years. Most applications won't go into the review process for 18-24 months, and the review can last for several months as you go back and forth with your reviewer on claims and provide additional information.

• What is the difference between patent prosecution and patent litigation?

Patent prosecution is the process of applying for a design, plant, or utility patent . Patent litigation is the legal action you can take against someone who violates the terms of your approved patent.  

• At what point in the patent prosecution process can I begin using "patent pending" on my product and materials?

As soon as you have submitted an application to the USPTO, you can begin referring to your product as patent pending. The only exception to this is if you have submitted a provisional patent application but don't file a nonprovisional patent application within the required 12-month time frame. As long as you have a valid application on file with the USPTO, you can refer to your product as patent pending.

Steps to File

In order to begin the process of patent prosecution, you must determine the type of patent for which your invention might qualify. The options are plant, design, and utility. Plant patents only cover new plant species, while design patents are issued to protect the new and novel design of an existing product. If you want to protect the function or construction of your idea, a utility patent will cover those aspects.

When you submit the correct application for your patent, you have taken the first step to patent prosecution. The next steps include responding to any requests from your examiner and waiting for approval or rejection.

If you need help with patent prosecution, you can  post your legal need  on UpCounsel's marketplace. UpCounsel accepts only the top 5 percent of lawyers to its site. Lawyers on UpCounsel come from law schools such as Harvard Law and Yale Law and average 14 years of legal experience, including work with or on behalf of companies like Google, Menlo Ventures, and Airbnb.

Hire the top business lawyers and save up to 60% on legal fees

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• When Can You Say Patent Pending? Everything You Need to Know
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• What Does Patent Pending Mean
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The USPTO speaks on obviousness — do patent practitioners have an answer?

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Frank Bernstein is a partner at Squire Patton Boggs' intellectual property and technology practice and is based in Palo Alto. He can be reached at [email protected].

Michael Adams is a patent agent at Squire Patton Boggs and has a doctorate in chemistry. He is based in the firm's San Francisco office and can be reached at [email protected].

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Industry Insight

Mike Scarcella, David Thomas

Karen Sloan

Henry Engler

Diana Novak Jones

Patents and Intellectual Property for Technology Companies

In-person training Location: Milpitas, CA

• Registration

May 16, 2024

This course covers patents and intellectual property concepts that are important for technology companies to be informed of. By taking this course, you will gain an understanding of the different type of intellectual properties (IP), associated terms, the patent filing process for both US and international markets, and insight as to how to patient inventions. If you’re an industry member who wants to learn more about trademarks, copyrights, patents, and other legal rights related to technology innovations, this is a great course to take.

• Members: $995
• Non-members: $1199
• Students/Veterans: $895 

* For group orders with 10+ attendees, and for Students/Veterans discounted pricing, please contact [email protected] * Coffee, refreshments, and lunch will be provided for all attendees, ensuring a satisfying and energizing experience throughout the day.

8:30 am - 4:30 pm

SEMI Headquarters 673 S Milpitas Blvd Milpitas , CA 95035 United States

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the different types of Intellectual Properties. 
• Define the terminology used in patent claims.
• Understand the patent filing process, both US and international.
• Gain knowledge in analysis of others’ patents or in patenting their own inventions.

Who Should Attend:

Anyone in a high-tech industry that would like to understand the procedure of creating and filing a patent and IPs

Course Topics:

• Introduction
• What is IP?
• Trade Secrets
• Value of IP
• Term / Duration
• Registering / Patent Application Process

Instructor:

Paul Hoffman

Course Instructor

PT International, LLC

Biography  

For general questions and inquiries, please contact [email protected]

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