5 Critical Risks Every Business Faces Today
Critical Risks Every Business Faces Today
The United States no longer dominates world manufacturing. To make matters worse, commodity prices of metal and manufacturing materials have skyrocketed causing manufacturing profits to plummet. A recent study found that each year, more than 70% of companies experience supply chain disruptions resulting in a drop in operating income, a reduction in sales and an increase in cost. Innovation is often the only way to survive. As succinctly said by Steve Jobs, “innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” Unfortunately, the same innovations that can propel a company forward can also make life much more complicated. One...
Trademark Benefits for Small Businesses
Trademark Benefits for Small Businesses
Most people know the importance of trademarks to huge, mega-corporations with many products and enormous profits to protect. Fewer are convinced that it's worth it for their small or emerging business to file trademark applications. In many cases, however, a protected trademark is as important, if not more so, to smaller businesses who are just penetrating their markets than to these larger behemoths. Particularly when it's time to grow a valuable trademark or brand. Here are a few of the benefits and basics of getting a trademark to protect your name, logo or business slogan.File Federal,...
Patent Search Guide: Discover Novel Ideas
Perhaps one of the most frequent points of internal conflict our clients experience is the doubt that his/her idea really is novel and unique. Surely I can’t be the first person to have thought of this?! If you are at that wonderfully exciting point in your entrepreneurship journey and can relate to this internal skepticism, please keep reading. This article will go over the fundamentals of conducting a Patent Search, which is the first and arguably most important step in determining if your idea is worth pursuing.
What is a Patent?
A patent is a legal device, which grants...
How to Successfully Patent an Idea: Your 5-Step Proven Guide
Okay, say you have patent an idea in mind, and you’re ready to take the plunge and get yourself a patent. What happens now? First of all, familiarize yourself with the basics. When entrepreneurs, inventors, and investors speak of "patents", they are referring to a legal tool and right given by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), which entitles exclusive ownership to a new or improved idea/process/product/system/invention. This exclusivity, then, effectively means that a patent is a right to sue. The patent prevents others from claiming, marketing, or profiting from the product without the patent holder’s authorization.
Patents - Recognize the Different...
Unlock Utility Patents Duration: Top 2024 Insights
Utility patents--otherwise known as ‘patents for invention”, cover a new or improved product, process, or machine, and prevent others from using that new or improved invention without authorization or permission. A Utility Patent is fundamentally a right to sue. When people talk about a patent, they are generally talking about a utility patent. For many businesses, the proprietary product is what drives the business and to stay competitive and value-centric, owning the rights to the use and sale of the product is critical. Utility Patents really are important. The time period that a utility patent lasts depends on...
Master Utility vs Design Patent: 3 Critical Success Factors
Explore Utility vs Design Patent differences.
Discover 3 key factors for optimal protection and consult legal experts. Why you should protect the design and use of your invention? When patenting your invention there are quite a few nuances, both technical and logistical, that must be taken into account. The first consideration is how to best protect your idea. Is your invention, design-focused or utility-focused? Depending on what precisely it is that you're protecting, you will need either need to obtain a Design Patent or a Utility Patent. Read on to see what type of patent is...
Master Responding to Patent Office Action: Avoid Pitfalls
The USPTO (the United States Patent and Trademark Office) has just sent you an office action. Don’t panic. Once you figure out just what an office action actually is, you can respond accordingly. Read on to learn all about office actions should you receive one and how to respond.
What is a Patent Office Action?
First things first, what exactly is an office action? An office action is issued by a patent examiner. It is a written correspondence from the patent examiner to you that requires your signed response in order for your application to move forward. The requirements in your office...
Existing Products: 4 Powerful Steps for Patent Improvement
Some ideas are great ideas. Some ideas have already been done, sort of. Who said you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Understanding how to patent an improvement on an existing product without infringing on the patent or patents on the existing product can be tricky. But it can be done. Read on, to patent the next big improvement.
