PATENT SERVICES
We offer the full range of services relating to the life of a patent application, from idea to issuance, including:
Professional Prior Art Search & Patentability Opinion
Wondering whether an idea for an invention is patentable? A professional prior art search is the best way of knowing the likelihood of receiving a patent on your idea. A professional search is performed the same way that the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) conducts a search when it receives a new application for a patent. Our search results provide you with copies of the 10-15 patent documents most closely related to your idea, along with a brief explanation of the relevance of each document. Additionally, you will be provided with our legal opinion as to the patentability of the proposed invention. In addition to knowing the likelihood of receiving a patent, a prior art search is also strongly recommended for the following reasons: (1) seeing the closest related inventions may give the inventor ideas for improvements and/or alternative designs to his/her own invention, and (2) knowing the closest related inventions assists the patent attorney in writing a better patent application (e.g., by being better able to identify and argue the novelty and non-obviousness of the invention). Our fee is $750 for a professional prior art search and patentability opinion.
Provisional Patent Application
Do you have an idea for an invention that you want to file an application for, but either (1) you don't quite have all the details worked out yet? or (2) you don't know whether it's already been patented? In either of these situations, you may want to file a provisional patent application. A provisional patent application is an "informal" patent application which acts as a placeholder. Information which is sufficiently disclosed (illustrated and described) in the provisional patent application will be given an invention date as of the date that it is filed. A provisional patent application allows an inventor a window of time---one year---in which to file the "formal" (utility) patent application. Filing a provisional patent application allows an inventor to use the phrase "patent pending" in association with their invention. Our fee is generally $250 - $500 for filing a client-drafted provisional patent application.
Utility Patent Application
U.S. patent law provides that a utility patent application may be filed for any "new and useful [and non-obvious] process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful [and non-obvious] improvement thereof". This is the type of patent application most people are thinking of when they think of a patent application. A utility patent application contains: (1) a carefully drafted set of claims which will be compared to existing patents and published patent applications to determine patentability, (2) drawings or figures which show each feature recited in the claims, (3) a detailed description which explains the claims and drawings in more detail, as well as possible variations of the invention, and (4) an abstract which summarizes the invention. Our fee is generally $2500 - $3500 for filing a utility patent application.
Design Patent Application
When an inventor is seeking to protect the ornamental (or aesthetic) qualities of his or her useful apparatus or article, the proper type of patent application is generally a design patent application. Our fee is generally $1250 - $1500 for filing a design patent application.
Office Action Response
Have you filed a patent application without the help of an attorney (i.e., "pro se") and received an Office Action which you're not sure how to respond to? The majority of patent applications are not allowed by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) on the "first try". In the majority of cases, the USPTO will initially reject a patent application, even though it may be well written. The rejection is a formal document called an Office Action. The issues raised in an Office Action may range from minor to significant. The issue(s) may be a simple misunderstanding on the part of the Patent Examiner or may be more substantive. Furthermore, the rejection may be a complete rejection or only a partial rejection. A thorough analysis of an Office Action and an understanding of how to respond is critically important to obtaining the maximum possible patent protection. Our fee is generally $500 - $750 for analyzing and responding to an Office Action.
COPYRIGHT SERVICES
A copyright protects creative works such as music, drawings, books, videos, poetry, screenplays, etc. When a new work is created, the creator automatically has an unregistered copyright on that work. The creator must file for registration with the U.S. Copyright Office in order to obtain a registered copyright. There are many advantages to having a registered copyright. For example:
TRADEMARK SERVICES
A trademark protects the use of a particular name, phrase, symbol, or logo for your business or organization. Advantages of federal (U.S.) trademark registration include:
GENERAL CONSULTING
Need legal advice relating to patent, copyright, or trademark law? We offer a free half-hour consultation. If it is determined that an issue will require more attention than is able to be provided in a half-hour, our consulting services are available for a fee of $75 per hour.
PLEASE NOTE THAT FEES MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Disclaimer: None of the information on this website should be considered legal advice, nor is any attorney-client relationship established or implied by virtue of the information on this website. Examples of successful cases mentioned on this website are not a guarantee, warranty, or prediction of a successful outcome of your legal issue. Every legal situation is unique, and each reader of this website is advised to seek competent legal advice regarding their particular situation.
We offer the full range of services relating to the life of a patent application, from idea to issuance, including:
Professional Prior Art Search & Patentability Opinion
Wondering whether an idea for an invention is patentable? A professional prior art search is the best way of knowing the likelihood of receiving a patent on your idea. A professional search is performed the same way that the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) conducts a search when it receives a new application for a patent. Our search results provide you with copies of the 10-15 patent documents most closely related to your idea, along with a brief explanation of the relevance of each document. Additionally, you will be provided with our legal opinion as to the patentability of the proposed invention. In addition to knowing the likelihood of receiving a patent, a prior art search is also strongly recommended for the following reasons: (1) seeing the closest related inventions may give the inventor ideas for improvements and/or alternative designs to his/her own invention, and (2) knowing the closest related inventions assists the patent attorney in writing a better patent application (e.g., by being better able to identify and argue the novelty and non-obviousness of the invention). Our fee is $750 for a professional prior art search and patentability opinion.
Provisional Patent Application
Do you have an idea for an invention that you want to file an application for, but either (1) you don't quite have all the details worked out yet? or (2) you don't know whether it's already been patented? In either of these situations, you may want to file a provisional patent application. A provisional patent application is an "informal" patent application which acts as a placeholder. Information which is sufficiently disclosed (illustrated and described) in the provisional patent application will be given an invention date as of the date that it is filed. A provisional patent application allows an inventor a window of time---one year---in which to file the "formal" (utility) patent application. Filing a provisional patent application allows an inventor to use the phrase "patent pending" in association with their invention. Our fee is generally $250 - $500 for filing a client-drafted provisional patent application.
Utility Patent Application
U.S. patent law provides that a utility patent application may be filed for any "new and useful [and non-obvious] process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful [and non-obvious] improvement thereof". This is the type of patent application most people are thinking of when they think of a patent application. A utility patent application contains: (1) a carefully drafted set of claims which will be compared to existing patents and published patent applications to determine patentability, (2) drawings or figures which show each feature recited in the claims, (3) a detailed description which explains the claims and drawings in more detail, as well as possible variations of the invention, and (4) an abstract which summarizes the invention. Our fee is generally $2500 - $3500 for filing a utility patent application.
Design Patent Application
When an inventor is seeking to protect the ornamental (or aesthetic) qualities of his or her useful apparatus or article, the proper type of patent application is generally a design patent application. Our fee is generally $1250 - $1500 for filing a design patent application.
Office Action Response
Have you filed a patent application without the help of an attorney (i.e., "pro se") and received an Office Action which you're not sure how to respond to? The majority of patent applications are not allowed by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) on the "first try". In the majority of cases, the USPTO will initially reject a patent application, even though it may be well written. The rejection is a formal document called an Office Action. The issues raised in an Office Action may range from minor to significant. The issue(s) may be a simple misunderstanding on the part of the Patent Examiner or may be more substantive. Furthermore, the rejection may be a complete rejection or only a partial rejection. A thorough analysis of an Office Action and an understanding of how to respond is critically important to obtaining the maximum possible patent protection. Our fee is generally $500 - $750 for analyzing and responding to an Office Action.
COPYRIGHT SERVICES
A copyright protects creative works such as music, drawings, books, videos, poetry, screenplays, etc. When a new work is created, the creator automatically has an unregistered copyright on that work. The creator must file for registration with the U.S. Copyright Office in order to obtain a registered copyright. There are many advantages to having a registered copyright. For example:
- Registering your copyright allows you to notify U.S. Customs & Border Patrol to watch for the importation of unauthorized copies of your work;
- If you believe someone has copied your work without permission, your copyright must be registered before you can file a lawsuit against them in court;
- a registered copyright provides "prima facie" evidence that you created the work, meaning the burden of proof shifts to the other side to prove that they did not copy without permission; and
- creators who have registered their copyright and win their case in court can receive additional money beyond their actual losses, and even have their attorney fees paid for.
TRADEMARK SERVICES
A trademark protects the use of a particular name, phrase, symbol, or logo for your business or organization. Advantages of federal (U.S.) trademark registration include:
- Public notice of your claim of ownership of the trademark;
- A legal presumption of your ownership of the trademark and your exclusive right to use the trademark nationwide on, or in connection with, the goods or services listed in your registration;
- The ability to file an lawsuit concerning the trademark in federal court;
- The use of the U.S. registration as a basis to obtain registration in foreign countries;
- The ability to record the U.S. registration with U.S. Customs & Border Patrol to prevent importation of foreign goods containing unauthorized use of the trademark;
- The right to use the federal registration symbol ®; and
- Listing in the United States Patent & Trademark Office’s online databases.
GENERAL CONSULTING
Need legal advice relating to patent, copyright, or trademark law? We offer a free half-hour consultation. If it is determined that an issue will require more attention than is able to be provided in a half-hour, our consulting services are available for a fee of $75 per hour.
PLEASE NOTE THAT FEES MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Disclaimer: None of the information on this website should be considered legal advice, nor is any attorney-client relationship established or implied by virtue of the information on this website. Examples of successful cases mentioned on this website are not a guarantee, warranty, or prediction of a successful outcome of your legal issue. Every legal situation is unique, and each reader of this website is advised to seek competent legal advice regarding their particular situation.