How to digitize your life (or at least have a paperless office)
Over the last several years many people have asked me how to remove paper from their lives. Here are some tips on how to empty your file cabinets and get rid of that pile of mail.
Over the last several years many people have asked me how to remove paper from their lives. Here are some tips on how to empty your file cabinets and get rid of that pile of mail.
Q: We filed a patent application (provisional or non-provisional) and have “patent pending” status. Can we show our product to others without having them sign an NDA (non-disclosure agreement)?
A: Yes… more or less. If the most important thing to you is building your company, and you have a well written patent application and thorough IP [...]
There are four basic requirements for patentability under the European Patent Convention (EPC): 1) there must be an “invention”; 2) the invention must be “susceptible of industrial application”; 3) the invention must be “new”; and 4) the invention must involve an “inventive step” (Article 52).
Many people who have confidence in their knowledge of U.S. [...]
Senior officials of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, as well as a representative from the Patent and Trademark Depository Library Program, will be available live on-line on Thursday, November 16 , from 2 to 3 pm (ET). They will be answering questions and offering tips for independent inventors. Instructions for taking part in [...]
Q: Does FDA approval of a drug for a new use forestall the expiration of the drug’s patent for an old use? Wellbutrin XL has been approved for major depression for a while. Its patent is up some time this year. It has recently been approved so that it can be marketed for seasonal [...]
Senior officials of the United States Patent and Trademark Office will be available live on-line on Wednesday, February 22, from 2 to 3 pm (ET).
Q: Can I patent features of a new version of an existing product? The new product performs the same function as the original product, but it looks and operates completely differently.
After your utility patent is granted, you must pay fees in order for the patent to remain in force. These “maintenance fees” must be paid 3.5 years, 7.5 years, and 11.5 years after the patent is granted. The patent office offers a six month grace period so fees may be paid, with a [...]
The US Patent and Trademark Office occasionally conducts live on-line chats to answer questions and offer tips to independent inventors. Inventors may also find useful information on the USPTO Inventor Resources page.
Links: transcripts of chats, index of chat topics.
You can ask, but it is most often not necessary. Patent attorneys deal with confidential information all day long and must preserve the confidences and secrets of a client.
Sometimes, much of the value of a product lies in its appearance. For example, Apple Computer is well known for designing instantly recognizable and attractive products. If your product has novel visual characteristics, such as a unique configuration, shape, or surface ornamentation, you can file a design patent application. A design patent [...]