OFFICE
I. Services - List of Professional Services and Fees.
II. Paradigm for PATENTS - Suggestions of what to consider en route to obtaining a patent, and how to use Internet-Patents.com to keep your costs in check.
III. Billing Policy - Type and time of payment.
IV. Contact us - Contact Site.
V. Getting a Patent - Procedure on how to get started
- Overview/Criteria ( Review of Patents)
- Filing A Patent Application (Step-by-step Explanation of Using Internet-Patents)
A United States patent is essentially an agreement between the US Government and the Patent Holder, that grants the Patent Holder an exclusive right to practice the invention for a period of 20 years, commencing from the filing date of the patent application. In exchange for this right, the Patent Holder agrees to disclose to the public the invention. Disclose, in this context, generally means tell (in a formal, written document) how the device is made. There are several different types of patents. The most commonly known is the utility patent, where the invention is a device, (i.e. a hammer) or a chemical composition (i.e an adhesive) or a process for making something (i.e. fabricating a printing plate). In addition to utility patents there are plant patents for new versions of agricultural plants. and also design patents. Design patents are concerned with the esthetic qualities of a item, for instance a car having a particular design would have lines that have a certain look, and therefore, the car’s design can be patented. Design patent's issue for incremental periods of time up to 20 years.
An invention is eligible to be consider as patentable if the invention is new, useful and not obvious in light of previous inventions (prior art). Only the the first inventor can apply for a patent. An inventor in this context can be a team of people working and contributing to the invention. The are a number of reasons why an invention is not eligible for a patent. If the invention was publicly disclosed or offered for sale more than 12 months prior to the date of application then an invention is barred from receiving a patent. If you are planning on filing a patent in another country it is prudent not to disclose the invention prior to filing in the United States, as many other countries don't have a grace period. Certain types of inventions like perpetual motion machines are also barred. You can't patent a theory or a mathematical relationship. If you file a patent in another country first, then you must have a patent on file in the United States within 12 months.
To determine if you are indeed the first inventor it is highly recommended that you start a patent search in the Reference Room of this Web Site. The searchable electronic databases only go back to 1971, and the patent office was established in 1790 (The Constitution, Article I, Section 8, Clause 8) , but the patents that are available will give you a good sense as to the probability that you are indeed the first inventor, as well as give you background information on what others have done.
1. Make a search to determine if you are probably the first inventor
2. Decide which route is preferable for pursuing the patent. There are a number of considerations that will enter in this decision.
Where are you in the inventive process?
- If you just trying to establish a date of conception then you should consider the Document Disclosure Program.
- If you ready to proceed with the Application, but don’t want to commit the funds to a full fledged application, and can delay getting the patent, then you should consider a Provisional Application. Design patents are considerably less complex than Utility Patents, so it is recommended that if you are going to pursue a Design Patent, do not file a Provisional Application.
- If you want to obtain a patent (in an expeditious time frame), then you should begin the process of filing a full fledged Application.
3. Review the Fee Schedule for the Professional Fees, and in the Reference Room, the USPTO Fees are listed. Note there are are recent increases. Visit the FAQ page to view samples of typical costs, examples of previous patents, areas of expertise.
4. Contact Internet-Patents for recommendations, further explanation or to initiate a service.
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Method of Payment
Check, wire, cash or money order. Purchase Orders are accepted.
Services having a fixed cost - Payment is expected upon completion of service, up to $250. Services over $250 require a deposit of $100.
Services having a fixed rate - Payment of 25% of the projected cost of the service is expected prior to initiating any work. The balance is expected upon completion of service.
To begin the process we strongly recommend letting us do a patent search, after signing a Confidentiality Agreement. The two contracts are combined in a single document that we must exchange. Click on the blue button to bring up the form. Fill in the form and send it to us. You can mail it, send it as an e-mail attachment, load it in the box on the Contact web page, or fax it. If this is the first time you have requested a search, don't forget to to mail a check for $100, shortly after sending in the form. The check should be made out to F. Rhett Brockington, with a note on the memo line referencing the search. Allow 7 business days for the results. If the search is urgent, we'll accommodate your needs.
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