Intellectual Property Blog

Quick Answer: What Are the Three Types of Patents? The United States Patent and Trademark Office grants three distinct types of patents: (1) Utility patents protect how inventions work and function, covering processes, machines, manufactures, and compositions of matter under 35 U.S.C. § 101, lasting 20 years from filing; (2) Design patents protect ornamental appearance and visual design of functional items under 35 U.S.C. § 171, lasting 15 years from grant; and (3) Plant pate

Quick Answer: What Is the Patent Application Process? The patent application process takes 18 to 36 months from filing to grant and involves seven key stages: (1) prior art search and patentability assessment, (2) application drafting and filing with the USPTO, (3) formal examination by a patent examiner, (4) responding to office actions and rejections, (5) allowance or final rejection, (6) payment of issue fees and patent grant, and (7) ongoing maintenance through periodic f

Understanding Patents: Your Key to Protecting Innovation A patent is a government-granted exclusive right that prevents others from making, using, selling, or importing your invention for a limited time period. Under 35 U.S.C. § 101 , the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) grants patents for "any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof." For inventors and entrepreneurs, patents represent

The Critical Communication From the USPTO After filing a trademark application, most applicants eventually receive an office action—a formal letter from the United States Patent and Trademark Office identifying issues that must be resolved before registration can proceed. Office actions are not rejection letters, though they're often misunderstood as such. Rather, they're communications from examining attorneys explaining problems with applications and providing opportunities

The Comprehensive Brand Protection Strategy When businesses develop brand identities, they typically create both a name (word mark) and a visual logo (design mark) that work together to identify their products or services. The Nike "swoosh" and the word NIKE, the Apple apple logo and the word APPLE, the McDonald's golden arches and the words MCDONALD'S—these iconic brands all maintain separate trademark registrations for their word marks and design marks, and for good reason.