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Demystifying the Patent Process
The patenting process can seem baffling to a first time inventor or to a person considering becoming an entrepreneur; it is also frequently very costly. In this presentation, the various types of patents will be explained and their applicability to particular situations discussed. Examples will be provided of patent claims (the language of the patent professionals) of various breadths to help the inventor better understand how patents are drafted and interpreted. Alternative types protection will be briefly discussed, such as copyright, trademark, or trade secrets and trade dress, since these may be more cost effective and, at times, more appropriate to the entrepreneur.
The Patent Office offers various tools through its website to help an inventor make a preliminary evaluation of an invention which will be discussed. Also, an outline for presenting information on an invention to a patent professional so as to reduce the cost of patent preparation will be provided.
The presentation will address the patent application procedure, provide some indication of costs, and will discuss both the recent changes being implemented by the Patent Office and the development of electronic filing of documents with the Patent and Trademark Office.
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