Patents

Articles in our Patents section range from amusing wacky patent lists to tips for protecting your invention and success stories from inventors.

Recent Stories

Pig Patent? Monsanto’s Efforts to Claim Ownership
May 2013

In 2005, Monsanto sought to patent pigs bred using a specific natural selection method. But can you patent a combination of techniques that farmers have been using for years? Could a patent-holder claim ownership of the genetic material in an animal that someone else bred and raised?

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Fighting the Good Fight: What's Being Done to Combat Online Theft
Apr 2013

The theft of intellectual property over the Internet is threatening individuals and businesses who produce and distribute IP-protected products and services, destroying jobs and suppressing innovation. Government and intellectual property industries have made it a priority to combat such theft, and have implemented different methods to combat it.

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What Every Business Needs to Know About How Patent Law is Changing
Mar 2013

Major changes to the U.S. patent system go into effect March of 2013, including a transition from a “first-to-invent” to a “first-to-file” system. These changes will have a significant effect on inventors and the process through which U.S. patents are obtained and defended.   more...

Maximizing Your Patent Application
Nov 2012

Creating an invention might seem like the final step in becoming an overnight success, but successfully filing for a patent can be a challenge. By maximizing the effectiveness of your filing, you can ensure not only the protection of your invention, but a substantial head start in the marketplace as well. more...