Patenting

Patenting is a critical aspect of protecting the intellectual property rights of your invention. As a Registered Patent Agent, I represent clients before the United States Patent and Trademark Office on all patent matters, including:

• Application for patent (regular, provisional, and international (PCT))
• Appeals to the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences
• Interference practice before the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences
  
  
  

In the United States, an application for a patent includes five parts:

• A petition identifying the filer
• An oath swearing to the originality of the invention
• A specification describing what the invention is and how it is made
• Claims defining what is new, important and patentable in the invention
• Drawings illustrating the invention

The average interval between filing of the application and grant of a patent is several years.  Examination of the application for patent is very thorough. and consequently, slow.  In 2006, the number of new applications and the backlog of pending applications, exceeded 400,000 and 800,000, respectively. 

The interval between receipt of the application at the Patent and Trademark Office and the final decision as to the Federal acceptability of the application is known as "pendency".  Hence, the familiar term, "patent pending" applies to applications which are in the process of being examined.

During that examination, the Patent Examiner at the Patent and Trademark Office will request clarifications, disallow various claims, point out errors, and give notice of interference (interference is the existence of applications by other inventors whose work and claims are very similar). If the inventor believes the Examiner to be incorrect in these matters, the inventor may appeal the Examiner’s decision to the Board of Appeals and Interferences. In a similar manner, the inventor’s case is argued before that same Board if an interference is declared.

The helicopter and power generation patent drawings seen as a watermark on these web pages illustrate the genius of Nikola Tesla (1856-1943) "the man who invented the 20^th Century". His 111 patents span many technologies, including motors, generators, transformers, radio, lighting, and propulsion systems. Tesla quickly realized becoming acquainted with the ordeals of the patent process was absolutely essential to a successful vocation as an inventor. In our rapidly changing, technology oriented, global economy, today’s inventors must conclude likewise.