Q: How can I purchase this Patent?

A: Tell us more, please. Which patent?

A: The way to buy a patent and the strategy can be different depending on the buyer and seller.

Commonly, the buyer can buy the patent outright or enter into a licensing agreement to purchase the right to use the patent for a particular period of time for a particular price.

A place to start with the buying process is calling a patent attorney and ask if he/she would help. Many patent attorneys are involved with intellectual property transactions such as licensing agreements.

Another option is viewing the patent, which may indicate who is assigned the rights to the patent and then contact that person or company. If no one is designated the assignee then the applicant can be contacted. Or, if the applicant doesn’t respond then contacting the Attorney of Record who submitted the application is also a possible route.

There can be some strategy when buying a patent depending on the buyer and the patent owner. So discussing the issue with a patent attorney or possibly another consultant group which deals in the area of buying and selling patents may be prudent.

Each situation is unique. The above answer includes generalizations and there are many caveats. Therefore, discussing your issue with an attorney may be important for you.

A: You will need to contact the patentee to see if they are willing to enter into negotiations for selling their patent. If the patent is assigned to a different person or entity, you will need to contact the assignee.