What is prior art?
Prior art is all information that has been disclosed to the public in any form about an invention before a given date. Prior art includes things like any patents related to your invention, any published articles about your invention, and any public demonstrations. prior art is "the total body of knowledge, which teaches or otherwise relates directly to an invention. This is the primary criteria in determining the patentability of a new invention. Establishes novelty and unobviousness of the art that relates to the invention in question. Prior art references include documentary sources such as patents and publications from anywhere in the world, and nondocumentary sources such as things known or used publicly."The Poor Man's Patent is a Myth
One of the undying myths of Patent World is that there is such a thing as a Poor Man's Patent. If you've never heard of it, the poor man's patent involves writing out a description of your invention and mailing that description to yourself. The transmission of this description through the mail and the cancelling of the postage by the Post Office is supposed to establish a date of invention for you. That way if someone steals your invention or comes along and invents it independently, you have "proof" that you invented it first. The proof is in the sealed envelop and the date the postage was cancelled.How to Do a Patent Search For New Inventors and Students
Finding patents with a patent search is almost like being a detective. Have you ever gotten a cool toy or seen an interesting gadget and wondered how or who created it? When someone invents a new toy or gadget, they usually get a patent for it. A patent is a way that inventors can protect their ideas.How to Find Out if Your Invention Idea is Already Patented
If you have an idea for an invention, before you patent it you should check to see if it's already been invented by some other inventor in the past. Though actually, whether or not it's been invented, what you'll want to do is find out whether it's been patented before with the USPTO (the United States Patent and Trademark Office). Here you'll learn how to search patents to find out if your invention idea is already patented or if you should redirect your brainstorming to another invention idea. Have a question? Get an answer from a lawyer now!How Much Does It Cost For a Patent?
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) establishes fees for patenting unique, non-obvious inventions. Because there are different types of patents, these fees vary, depending on those due at the time of the initial application and during the maintenance intervals required during a patent's 20-year life. A filing fee, search fee and examination fee are due with an initial application. Patent applications with more than 3 claims are subject to additional charges. It is important to note that fee structures are not static. The below represent the USPTO 2009 fee schedule and apply to patents filed on or after December 8, 2004. Initial Filing Fee - The initial filing fee for a utility patient is $330. Initial filing fees for design and plant patents are $220. Patent Search Fees - The search fee is $540 for a utility patent; $100 for a design patent; and $330 for a plant patent. Patent Examination Fees - The examination fee is $220 for a utility patent; $140 for a design patent; and $170 for a plant patent. Patent Maintenance Fees - The maintenance fee for patents is $980 at the 3.5-year interval; $2,480 at the 7.5-year interval; and $4,110 at the 11.5-year interval. Other Applicable Fees - Other fees may be necessary during the prosecution of a patent and the patent's 20-year term. These may include extension of time fees, post-issuance fees, financial service (administrative) fees and trademark processing fees. Additional fees will be incurred if a patent application needs to be appealed. Fees for Additional Claims - If a patent application contains more than 3 claims, an additional $220 is charged (per claim). The cost of more than 10 claims is $52 per claim.