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Articles in our Patents section range from wacky patent lists to tips for protecting your invention and success stories from inventors.
How do you know when your idea is just an idea, as opposed to an idea that you could patent and put to profitable use?
read moreWorried about Patent infringement? This primer will help you protect your patent.
read moreWhat is an invention? What is a patent?
read moreDo you need a patent? Even if achieving patent protection is possible, there may be reasons why you would not pursue patent protection for your invention. Here are four questions to ask.
read moreUtility patents are among the valuable assets in the world. Unlike other forms of intellectual property protection, they have numerous formal requirements and can be very expensive to get. For new inventors, pursuing a utility patent can be daunting. If, however, you take it one step at a time, you too can receive an issued patent for your invention.
read moreCongress created four kinds of patents: utility, provisional, design, and plant patents. An inventor who knows what each one protects and how it is different from the others has a huge advantage in protecting his or her invention. Picking the right kind of patent, or the right combination of patents, is the first step to securing your intellectual property.
read moreTo know how long your patent is going to last you have to know two things: what kind of patent you have and its earliest filing date. By understanding a few simple rules and the different kinds of patent applications, you, too, can reliably calculate patent expiration dates.
read moreBeginning with George Washington, the United States has elected a handful of presidents who tinkered with an invention or two. On Presidents' Day, we recognize their willingness to join a pre-21st century version of the Maker Movement.
read moreDid you know you can file a provisional patent application to help you get more time to complete the patent process? Learn more about provisional patents, used to ‘reserve’ a spot in line for your patent application.
read moreYour invention has to bring something new and unique to the table, or it can’t get a patent. The patent process begins by searching for similar patents. Find out more about how to see if someone has patented your idea.
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