Patent and patent searches an inventor perspective
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The document discusses the considerations inventors must weigh when deciding whether to patent their ideas, emphasizing the conditions under which patent protection is beneficial or detrimental. It offers guidance on conducting patent searches, including example searches and key resources, and highlights the author's personal experience with patents. Key reasons for and against patenting ideas are presented, along with a specific patent example to illustrate the complexities of patent validity.
Patent and patent searches an inventor perspective
- 1. PATENTS AND PATENT SEARCHES – AN INVENTOR’S PERSPECTIVE Tyler Johnson
- 2. Topics • To patent or not? • Uses for patent searches • Patent search examples • Q & A
- 3. Should you patent your idea? Reasons to Patent • Idea is “novel” and “non-obvious” • Prevent others from using your IP • Difficult if it’s software • Easier if it’s a physical device, molecule, or if it’s difficult to work around a patent • Protect your right to use your IP • May be needed if others are patenting similar ideas • Protect the physical look/feel of a device (design patent) • Competitor with patent(s) who are likely to sue Reasons not to patent • Alert competitors to your presence • Even granted patent may not protect you • Give others ideas on how your design works • Idea is too early • Time/Cost
- 4. “Novel” inventions – A matter of perspective Example: Patent 9,021,097 4/28/2015 “Unified cloud computing infrastructure to manage and deploy physical and virtual environments” An entire industry segment invalidates IBM’s “granted” patent
- 5. Should you do a patent search? IP protection Competitive Analysis Recruitment Ideation YES (Usually) • Most product companies should do at least a cursory search • Service companies should do a search if their service business has a really innovative process. Reasons to search
- 6. Patent Search Example Key Steps • Search for CPC codes and keywords by searching competitor’s names • Perform patent and patent application searchs • Record application number, inventors, etc.
- 7. Key links • US PTO • http://www.uspto.gov/patents-application-process/search-patents • Patent advanced search • http://patft.uspto.gov/netahtml/PTO/search-adv.htm • Patent application advanced search • http://appft.uspto.gov/netahtml/PTO/search-adv.html • USPTO Guide • http://www.uspto.gov/patents-application-process/search-patents
- 8. Patent Experience • 22 US patents granted • 6 International patents granted • 30+ patent applications United States Patent System and method for generating a trigger signal 7,348,799
- 9. List of US Patents
- 10. Q&A