12Nov
Copyright laws: Essential for Creative Success Forever
Copyright laws - Points To Consider
Before 1978, when rights were clarified in the 1976 Copyright Act (http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ09.pdf), artists, writers and others involved in the creative arts had a much harder time holding on to their work. These days the copyright protections for creative artists who work for someone else are more clear, but still subject to misunderstanding and misuse. One thing holds mostly true: if you create something for your place of work, whether comics, artwork, websites, logos, etc., the rights belong to your employer. Yes, even if it's the most fantastic, must lucrative item ever created—as long as...
04Nov
Protect Intellectual Property: 3 Proven Ways to Avoid Scams
Protect intellectual property wisely.
Discover 3 proven methods to shield your inventions from scams and ensure secure rights management.The Emotional Turmoil of Inventing
It's exciting, isn't it? That rush of feeling when you know you've come up with something good, when you believe that you have the unique key to solve a particular problem? It's also a little scary, though, when you realize all that has to be done to make sure your invention is protected, that you can not only protect your work, but profit from it. It's the feeling of uncertainty, fear and dismay that some inventor scams take advantage...
28Oct
Social Network Patents: 3 Powerful Trends Shaping the Future
Understanding Social Network Patents in Today's Market
Social network patents are increasingly crucial as these platforms infiltrate every aspect of life and business.Social Networking: A New Era
As social networking becomes more important and occupies more presence in people's lives, the number of those seeking related patents increases. It's not unusual for innovators and creators to follow the need and the market, and software inventors, including of that for mobile devices and social networking applications, certainly fit this mold. This doesn't mean that it's all smooth sailing—as with other software patents, sometimes it's a lot more difficult to explain why what you've...
17Oct
Patent Portfolio: 3 Proven Strategies to Boost Your Innovation
Innovation Is Paramount
You know the image of the absentminded inventor who neglects all personal and financial matters in favor of creating? Replace that with inventors no less creative, but far more savvy and you have … Apple. Microsoft. Just about every innovative and creative company that comes to mind. What they learned, or even pioneered, is what every creative inventor can take lessons from. Treat your creations, your patent portfolio like a business, and you can reap great rewards. Your patent attorney can give some helpful advice on how to do this, but here are a few things to get...
15Oct
Patent Applications: 3 Smart Tips for Cost-Effective Success
Patent Applications
Many new and not-so-new inventors can find the patent application process murky, time-consuming and, often, expensive. And they are not wrong, in many cases. There are forms that must be filled out a certain way, descriptions of the invention that must have various details, patent illustrations that must be on certain paper and include specific items. All this is not including the needed patent searches and prior art listings. A well-done patent application takes time and expertise, and that is part of where the expense comes in. All is not lost, though, for the new inventor or for...
14Oct
Patents, Bill Gates, Inventing and the Promises of Text-to-Video
Text-to-Video: We Are In For A Treat
Most recent news about Bill Gates deals with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the newest invention that carries his name would fit right in with that. Text-to-speech technology has been around for a long time, and is a boon to the visually disabled, as well as those who prefer to dictate their work, rather than type. The text-to-video technology recently patented by Bill Gates and other highly-talented and trained people, promises to be something different. Here is one example of how it works, or could work, that was included in the patent application: “According...
11Oct
Micro Entity Status: 3 Key Benefits for Affordable Patents
The Government Encourages Entrepreneurship
Recently there has been a change in the Government filing fees for patents to help individuals, entrepreneurs and startup companies. Basically, if you or your company qualify, the filing fee is reduced to one half of the small entity filing fee. To determine whether you or your company qualified for Micro Entity Status when filing a patent application, consider the following basic questions: Does the applicant or applicants qualify as a small entity? A small entity is determined when the owner is a "person" (i.e. individual or individuals) who has not assigned or granted any rights in the...
08Oct
Issuing A Patent – Prioritized Examination
Patent Applications - Timetable Our clients commonly ask us how long it actually takes for a patent application to issue as a patent. Although there is no set time period, it is not unusual for 3-5 years to pass before the patent Examiner to pick up the case for examination. That delay can sometimes have a severe impact to the patent applicant by holding up the marketability of the invention and the ultimate value of the patent; especially for software inventions that can be obsolete within a few years. Naturally, clients want to know whether it is possible to expedite the...
