Q: Do most patents stay valid for the entire 20 year period? If not, what factors alter a patent's lifetime?
A:
U.S. patents have "maintenance fees" that are due at 3.5, 7.5 and 11.5 years. Some patent owners don't pay those fees for various reasons, and the patents expire for non-payment.
Sometimes a patent is litigated in a federal court and found to be invalid or unenforceable for a variety of reasons. Or patents can be "re-examined" either at the USPTO or at the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board and its claims found to be invalid or unenforceable.
Ben Klosowski
Registered U.S. Patent Attorney
Thrive IP® INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW FIRM
220 N. Main Street, Suite 500
Greenville, SC 29601
Tel. 864.351.2468
Fax 866.747.2595
Ben@Thrive-IP.com
www.Thrive-IP.com
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