If you have questions about utility patents, a patent attorney Chicago IL clients depend on can help. At the Law Offices of Konrad Sherinian, LLC we have multiple patent attorneys on staff that can assist you.
What Are Utility Patents?
A patent attorney Chicago IL inventors recommend can explain how a utility patent covers the invention or creation of a new or improved product, machine, or process. Utility patents not only protect inventions that are new, but they also protect an advancement on current technology. They protect the inventor from those who would make, use, sell, import, or offer to sell the invention without the authorization of the inventor.
A utility patent can be directed to any manufactured good or industrial process, based on the function or operation of your product. The types of inventions a patent attorney in Chicago IL can assist in obtaining patents for include:
- Machines, such as computers, televisions, tools, or any item which is composed of moving parts
- Items of manufacture, such as pots, mops, dishware, or ceramics
- A process, such as a computer software programs or business process
- Compositions of matter, such as skin care products, cosmetics, or pharmaceuticals
Approximately 90 percent of patents that are issued by the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) are utility patents. A utility patent permits its owner to exclude others from making, using or selling the claimed invention for a period of twenty years from the earliest priority date, subject to the payment of maintenance fees.
How Do I Obtain a Utility Patent?
In order to qualify for a utility patent, you will need to make sure that your invention will qualify under the regulations of the USPTO. The agency requires that the invention is both new and useful.
To verify that your invention is new, it is important to conduct a patent search before you submit your own application for a utility patent. And while that may sound like a simple process, remember that there are patents on file that go back to before the year 1800, and the USPTO has issued more than eight million patents. Although there are websites which inventors can use to do the search, they only rely on keywords which is not nearly as thorough search that needs to be done. The process of searching can be a complex one and is a very good reason to retain the services of a patent attorney Chicago IL provides.
Once you have established that you indeed have a new invention, all the paperwork needs to be filled out and submitted to the USPTO. It is critical to the application’s success that all documentation be filled out as detailed and precisely as possible. Failure to provide all the information could result in a rejection of your utility patent application.
Information that the USPTO will be looking for include details regarding each and all inventors who were involved in the process. The agency will also need to know who will retain ownership of the invention. For example, is it one person, joint ownership, or will a company own the utility patent to the invention? If it will be a company, then you will need to provide all kinds of details about what type company it is, as well as details about employees and how the company conducts business.
Details regarding the invention itself, including all the different steps taken to develop the invention and what the current status also needs to be provided in your application.
The process for obtaining your utility patent can take as long as five years. Because it can take so long for the USPTO to finally issue a utility patent, you may want to discuss with your attorney the possibility of also filing a provisional patent, which offers inventors some protection while waiting for the approval of their utility patent. A Chicago patent attorney can explain if this is an option that would benefit you.
For more information about patents, feel free to browse through our brief guides below:
Contact a Patent Attorney Chicago IL Residents Recommend Today
Obtaining powerful patent protection for your intellectual property is one of the most critical steps you can take to ensure the success of your endeavor. At the Law Offices of Konrad Sherinian, LLC, Konrad Sherinian has an extensive litigation and intellectual property background. He has experience in various areas of patent drafting and prosecution, and is available to discuss what your utility patent needs may be.
Contact a seasoned patent attorney Chicago IL has to offer at (312) 981-0338, or fill out a contact form on our website.