Get free answers to your Patents (Intellectual Property) legal questions from lawyers in your area.
Your current state is Ohio
The device is not been made yet. I need to file a patent right away. Is there a patent type that is relatively cheap so we can protect our intellectual property until we build a POC?
answered on Nov 11, 2024
A couple of points:
(1) Congratulations on worrying about patenting your device. Way too many people build the product, sell it, and then seek to get a patent, only to be told that it is too late.
(2) However, there is such a thing as trying to file a patent application too early.... View More 
I just want to know if I am allowed to drop ship this product and brand it after. Is it legal. So did Wool & Oak patent it or trademarked it or put copyrights on it. The product they sell is the only thing I care about. I won't take anything from their website
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answered on Nov 3, 2024
The product is most likely subject to more than one form of Intellectual Property protection by its manufacturer or original owner: trademark (its brand), trade dress (protects the overall appearance of the product, including its size, shape, color, texture, and graphics), patents of any... View More
answered on Oct 30, 2024
This patent is alive and active.
In general, patent terms expire 20 years from the date of filing. This patent was filed on December 17, 2010.
In some cases, the applicant can request a patent term extension. This applicant received an additional 66 days to its term.
This... View More
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answered on Oct 30, 2024
I have considered patent eligibility in the past for technology of games such as poker, and the technology and dynamic odds engine needs to contain elements that transform pre-existing processes of game betting for live poker (or abstract ideas) into a patent-eligible application. Please see my... View More
I have an idea for a novelty in dentistry, researched it, and built a proposal, but I am afraid to present it to anyone because I could lose the rights of my idea. What do you think I should do? Thank you.
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answered on Oct 22, 2024
You can file a patent application, or a provisional patent application, to start the process of protecting your idea with a patent. Some ideas might be possible to protect as a trade secret, for example if you knew of a particular way to do a dental operation then you might teach people how to do... View More
Patent Claims
1. A method for wire shelf restoring by altering the visual aesthetics of a wire shelf comprising:
providing a top surface covering capable of defining a plurality of depth dimensions;
adjusting the depth of the top surface covering to a predetermined shelf... View More
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answered on Oct 14, 2024
To directly infringe a method patent claim, a person must have practiced all the steps of the claimed methods. Hence, if the referenced method, is the full method in that particular claim, you will not infringe it if not all of these steps are carried out. If another party under your direction... View More
Just to tell you: I am no longer employed due to brain and spinal damage from being run over by a truck in 2018. (60% blind, memory damage, constant pain in back and legs, using a walker wherever I go, lethargy from the pain, insomnia)
I am curious about doing this as a hobby activity. I... View More
answered on Oct 8, 2024
Sure, you can file a patent application, and there are plenty of help out there for pro se inventors. One of the best books on how to do this is "Patent It Yourself" by David Pressman from NOLO Press.
However, it is not easy to write a patent application, and it is even harder... View More
answered on Aug 28, 2024
That is a very good question. Patent lawyers may have their own views on answering this question, but this is a question about public policy, which may be answered by an economist or a knowledgeable policy expert.
Here a few of my thoughts to answer your question.
- Companies... View More
If a product is patented how are other companies able to produce similar if not identical products? For instance coconut oil is patented under 5108775 so how is it legal for thousands of brands of coconut oil using this same method? Or is it irrelevant if it is branded under something else?
answered on Sep 5, 2024
Patents also have a lifespan. Typically, a utility patent only lasts for 20 years from the date of filing the application. After that period, the patent enters the public domain and anyone in that country is free to make and use the technology described in the patent. The patent you referenced... View More
I have developed a solution to integrate Blood Collection , distribution and stakeholders. I would like to patent this solution so that I can seek for investments to build a complete product.
Regards
answered on Aug 19, 2024
Filing a patent for your prototype solution involves several steps. Here’s a general overview of the process:
1. Determine the Type of Patent
Utility Patent: Protects the functional aspects of your invention.
Design Patent: Protects the ornamental design of your invention.... View More
I have a concept for a sandal that I'm trying to get made. I was researching patents, and I don't know if my specific ideas has been made and patented or not.
answered on Aug 5, 2024
The best way to determine prior patent status of a product is to engage with a patent professional to engage in a freedom to operate search. Prior to that step though, to determine if your product has been patented by someone else, consider the following:
First, understand that patents... View More
I had plans of creating a prototype of an idea. Due to a health issue, I unfortunately have limited time in terms of life. I want to be able to carry out this invention but am afraid that once I leave, the people I share this idea with, will say this idea was thought of by them when that is clearly... View More
answered on Aug 5, 2024
I'm sorry to hear about your health situation, and I understand your concerns about protecting your invention. It's commendable that you want to secure your intellectual property and ensure your ideas are recognized as your own.
To address your question: yes, it is possible to... View More
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answered on Jul 2, 2024
To find your grandfather's patent, you can follow these steps:
1. Gather information:
- Your grandfather's full name
- Approximate date or year of the patent
- Any details about the invention
2. Use online patent databases:
- USPTO Patent... View More
Do patents expire?
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answered on Jul 2, 2024
Yes, patents do expire. To answer your questions:
1. Patents expire after a set period of time from their filing date:
- Utility patents (the most common type) expire 20 years from the earliest filing date of the application.
- Design patents filed on or after May 13, 2015... View More
Do I infringe any patent from this article if I attach my own reader to Itron's meter with the clips already existing in their meter. I am using a different signal to read the meter and transmit the result directly to the customer company without storing any data in my own database ? Thank you... View More
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answered on Jun 27, 2024
To provide a thorough response to your question about potential patent infringement, I'll need to break this down into several key points:
1. Patent scope: The specific details of Itron's patents would need to be carefully examined to determine if your proposed device and method... View More
USGA World Handicap System
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answered on Jun 22, 2024
To assess the patentability of 'adjusting golf scores based on abnormal weather conditions' as part of the USGA World Handicap System, we need to consider several factors:
1. Novelty: The idea must be new and not previously disclosed to the public.
2. Non-obviousness: It... View More
The reviewer denied my patent once claiming that my idea operated the same way as an existing product, once my lawyer better explained to him how it operates he agreed that he was wrong about it, but came back saying that if I combined two existing patents I could've get the idea to build my... View More
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answered on Jun 22, 2024
This is an interesting and complex patent law question. To provide a thorough answer, I'll need to explain a few key concepts in patent law:
1. Novelty: For an invention to be patentable, it must be novel (new). If your invention is identical to a single prior art reference, it lacks... View More
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answered on Jun 22, 2024
To provide an accurate answer about whether a specific electric hair comb or hair straightener is patented, I would need more details about the particular product in question. However, I can offer some general information that may be helpful:
1. Many electric hair combs and straighteners... View More
My dream is to get Beta Hydroxy butyrate (BHB) available for everybody in the supermarket because of its unprecedented health potential. The use of BHB for increasing ketone bodies is patented. Therefore, I probably need a licence to this patent if I would like to sell such a product in the... View More
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answered on Jun 22, 2024
To answer your question, we need to break it down into a few steps:
1. Patent verification:
First, we need to confirm that the use of Beta-Hydroxybutyrate (BHB) for increasing ketone bodies is indeed patented. Without specific patent information, I can't verify this claim.... View More
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