Your firm has developed an actually cool brand-new item. Should you apply for a patent, and also should you trademark the product's name? Thus many other points in life, business, marital relationship and also sports, it depends.
Patent a New Product? Of all, you can not really "patent" a product or solution. You can just patent the technology that entered into creating that services or product. Getting and also getting a license has a number of advantages.
1. Protection and also Exclusivity: First as well as leading, getting a license for your development avoids rivals from using it to create the same or similar products. When Post-it notes came out, 3M had actually patented the technology behind them, as well as that gave 3M a valuable monopoly for several years. Understand, however, that the US Patent Office issues licenses; they do not enforce them. If a firm infringes on your license, you will certainly have to defend your license via civil Happy.
While it possibly does not make sense to license your license to a direct competitor, you can certify it to business in various other industries as well as develop a nice earnings stream. If the product that uses the development is not creating the wanted sales or earnings for your company, you could then license the patent - or also sell the license - to generate earnings from it.
3. Much Better Safe than Sorry: If you do NOT apply for a license, as well as two or three years later you uncover that a firm is using your innovation to generate a product and services, you may be sorry for not patenting the modern technology when you had the chance to do so.
Is Your Invention Patentable? It is worth a few hundred bucks to have a patent attorney or patent representative take a look at your technology and also establish if it is worth looking for a license. If the patent lawyer or patent representative thinks your invention can be patented, he will help you via the license application procedure. A patent lawyer is an attorney who specializes in what's called "license prosecution," the procedure of looking for as well as receiving a license. A patent agent is not a lawyer, yet is licensed to practice before the US Patent as well as Trademark Office. To discover a license agent or license lawyer, use our free Patent Agent and also Patent Attorney Referral Service.
Securing Your Innovation: As quickly as you have actually gotten a patent, you ought to use the term "Patent Pending" in your sales literary works and summary of the item. Doing so will essentially note your turf, as well as it might dissuade competitors from replicating your item.
Trademark a New Product? Just as you can not patent a product - you can only patent the technology behind the item you can not hallmark an item: You can only trademark the name (or brand name) of the item. If your brand-new product has a distinct name to recognize it, you should certainly apply for a hallmark if for no other factor than to avoid competitors from puzzling consumers and swiping sales from you by utilizing the very same or a comparable item recognition for their competing product.
If you simply call your new item the Model FHJ-604, after that no trademark is truly needed. If, nevertheless, you've thought of a name that is distinct and unforgettable, (the Die Hard ® battery from Sears is an example), you should absolutely safeguard your brand-new and cutting-edge product identification.
Seek advice from a trademark lawyer, and also if he thinks your brand name or product name can be trademarked, make an application for the hallmark. As Soon As the US Patent as well as Trademark Office concerns you a trademark, it will be a signed up trademark, so you will certainly then position a " ® "after the brand.
Patent versus Trademark: While both licenses as well as trademarks are issued by the I have an invention idea now what United States Patent and Trademark Office, they are truly unassociated. An item's modern technology can be patented while the item's name is not trademarked. Or the item name can be trademarked while the product's technology is not patented. Sears filed for a trademark for "Die Hard" yet there are no licenses related to the battery. Despite the picture produced by the brand, there is nothing special, cutting-edge or one-of-a-kind about a Die Hard ® battery. 3M applied for a trademark for "Post-it" and additionally patented the technology behind the product.
If your product makes use of a special modern technology, patenting your innovation makes sense. If you developed a marketable name for your new product, trademarking the name makes good sense. Both problems must be taken into consideration independently.
It is worth a couple of hundred dollars to have a license lawyer or patent agent appearance at your advancement as well as figure out if it is worth applying for a license. If the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/?search=innovation patent attorney or patent agent believes your development can be patented, he will help you via the license application procedure. A patent lawyer is an attorney that specializes in what's called "patent prosecution," the process of applying for prototype service InventHelp and also receiving a license. To discover a patent representative or license attorney, use our complimentary Patent Agent as well as Patent Attorney Referral Service.
License versus Trademark: While both patents and also hallmarks are released by the US Patent and also Trademark Office, they are actually unconnected.