Comments on: Patents for entrepreneurial ideas http://www.NotesOnDesign.net/resources/intellectual-property/patents-for-entrepreneurial-ideas/ Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:14:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Michael P. Eddy http://www.NotesOnDesign.net/resources/intellectual-property/patents-for-entrepreneurial-ideas/comment-page-1/#comment-22756 Michael P. Eddy Wed, 19 Sep 2007 18:42:30 +0000 http://www.notesondesign.net/legal-copyright-trademark/patents-for-entrepreneurial-ideas/#comment-22756 Embodiments of ideas such as business methods and ideas may be protected here in the U.S. under both patent and copyright law. Also, regarding Jean's comments about 17 years, U.S. patent rights in the past were granted for 17 years from the date of issuance of the granted patent so long as the maintenance fees were paid timely. Now, the rights granted in an issued patent are typically in force for 20 years from the date of filing of the patent application with some reductions or extensions in certain situations that allow time to be added or deducted from the the granted patent rights time frame. Some companies also ask Congress to grant an extension of time to the 20 year time period particularly if the patent grant is valuable, such as patents issued in the pharmaceutical field. A patent search is a very valuable tool to determine not only whether or not your invention is new, but to determine what is similar so you can avoid the known areas and expand your idea as much as possible into the unknown areas. Regards, Michael Embodiments of ideas such as business methods and ideas may be protected here in the U.S. under both patent and copyright law. Also, regarding Jean’s comments about 17 years, U.S. patent rights in the past were granted for 17 years from the date of issuance of the granted patent so long as the maintenance fees were paid timely. Now, the rights granted in an issued patent are typically in force for 20 years from the date of filing of the patent application with some reductions or extensions in certain situations that allow time to be added or deducted from the the granted patent rights time frame. Some companies also ask Congress to grant an extension of time to the 20 year time period particularly if the patent grant is valuable, such as patents issued in the pharmaceutical field. A patent search is a very valuable tool to determine not only whether or not your invention is new, but to determine what is similar so you can avoid the known areas and expand your idea as much as possible into the unknown areas.

Regards,

Michael

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