Patents

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Patents protect the inventions and works of an inventor from being stolen or copied by somebody else. Patents are not that easy to obtain, and inventions must meet certain qualifications (i.e., it must be new, useful, and not something obvious and ordinary). There are three main types of patents ”main, utility, and the most common, the design patent.

A patent on an invention is considered valid for up to 20 years, with the exception of a design patent, which is valid for 14 years. Patents are not renewable, which means that when the 14 years or 20 years are up, you can't prevent anyone from using your invention. A patent in the United States will not protect your invention in other countries . To do that, you will have to file a patent application in every country in which you want protection.

What You Can Patent

• Machines

• Major variations in existing products

• New varieties of plants

• Original designs for manufacturing

• Products

• Processes

The cost of filing for a patent at the USPTO is approximately $380.

A patent protects not only the invention but prevents others from copying, reproducing, and selling that invention without the consent of the patent owner. A sticky point ”just because you hold a patent on an invention doesn't mean that you have permission to sell it. It means that you can prevent others from selling your invention.

What You Cannot Patent

• Business ideas

• Mathematical formulas

• Printed material

• Scientific theories

If you elect to hire an attorney to help you with patent filing, it's best to find a patent attorney. Patent attorneys are well-versed in intellectual properties and the federal laws protecting patents.

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