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- #help.tut Extra help for tutorials
- #define.stb ON LINE GLOSSARY
- /* This is an informational pamphlet provided by the U.S.
- Patent Office. It is good basic information on the subject. */
-
- PATENTS IN BRIEF
-
- A patent is a grant issued by the United States Government
- giving an inventor the right to exclude all others from making,
- using, or selling the invention within the United States, its
- territories and possessions.
-
- There are three kinds of patents: (1) UTILITY PATENTS, granted
- to the inventor or discoverer of any new and useful process,
- machine, manufacture, composition of matter, or any new and useful
- improvement thereof; (2) PLANT PATENTS, granted on any distinct and
- new variety of asexually reproduced plant; (3) DESIGN PATENTS,
- granted on any new, original, and ornamental design for an article
- of manufacture.
-
- Utility and plant patents are effective for 17 years from the
- date the patent granted, and only utility patents are subject to
- the payment of maintenance fees; design patents are effective for
- 14 years. Patents may be extended only by special act of Congress,
- except for some pharmaceutical patents whose term may be extended
- to make up form time lost due to Government-required testing.
-
- The basic fee for filing an application for a utility patent
- ranges from $315 to $630, dependent upon whether or not the
- applicant is entitled to status as a small entity (independent
- inventor, small business concern or non-profit organization).
- Issue fees for utility patents range from $525 to $1050.
- Maintenance fees are due at 3 1/5, 7 1/2 and 11 1/2 years from the
- date the utility patent is granted.
-
- Applications are assigned to examiners who are experts in
- various fields of technology. They research previous patents and
- technical literature to determine whether a patent should be
- granted. This procedure takes an average about 18 months.
-
- If you plan to file an application, you or your representative
- are advised to make a search of patents previously granted and
- printed publications to make sure that your idea has not already
- been patented or disclosed. You may do this at the Public Search
- Room of the Patent and Trademark Office, Crystal Plaza Building No.
- 3, 2021 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, Virginia. Hours are 8
- a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday except holidays. More limited
- searches may be made at Patent and Trademark Depository Libraries
- located throughout the United States.
-
- The Patent and Trademark Office strongly advises you to
- consult a registered patent attorney or agent before attempting to
- file an application. Names of patent attorneys and agents may be
- obtained from classified telephone directories in major cities, or
- from a directory published by the Government Printing Office.
-
- For more information, the book GENERAL INFORMATION CONCERNING
- PATENTS, is available from the Superintendent of Documents,
- Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402.
- (doc.#003-004-626-9, price $2.00)
-
- For specific questions write to the Public Service Center,
- Patent and Trademark Office, Washington, D.C. 20231, or call (703)
- 557-INFO.
-
- This information sheet was released February 1991.
-
-