Patent it yourself : your step-by-step guide to filing at the U.S. patent office.
2014
KF3114.6 .P74 2014 (Map It)
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Details
Title
Patent it yourself : your step-by-step guide to filing at the U.S. patent office.
Published
Berkeley, California : Nolo, 2014.
Copyright
©2014
Call Number
KF3114.6 .P74 2014
Edition
17th edition / patent attorneys, David Pressman and Thomas J. Tuytschaevers.
ISBN
1413320449
9781413320442
9781413320442
Description
638 pages : illustrations ; 28 cm
System Control No.
(OCoLC)869343421
Bibliography, etc. Note
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Record Appears in
Portion of Title
Guide to filling at the U.S. patent office
Gift
Purchased from the income of the Edith L. Fisch Fund
Added Author
Gift

The Arthur W. Diamond Law Library
Purchased from the income of the Edith L. Fisch Fund
Table of Contents
Your Legal Companion
1
A.
You Don't Have to Use a Patent Attorney
2
B.
A Layperson Can Do a Quality Job
2
C.
Using an Attorney
2
D.
Should You Do It Yourself?
2
E.
The Seventeenth Edition
4
F.
How to Use Patent It Yourself
4
1.
Introduction to Patents and Other Intellectual Property
5
A.
What Is a Patent and Who Can Apply for It?
7
B.
The Three Types of Patents
8
C.
The Novelty and Unobviousness Requirement
11
D.
How Long Do Patent Rights Last?
11
E.
Patent Filing Deadlines
12
F.
Patent Fees
12
C.
The Scope of the Patent
13
H.
How Patent Rights Can Be Lost
13
I.
What Rights a Patent Grants and the Prior-Art Reference Value of a Patent
13
J.
What Can't Be Patented
14
K.
Some Common Patent Misconceptions
15
L.
How Intellectual Property Law Provides "Offensive Rights" (and Not Protection) to Inventors
16
M.
Alternative and Supplementary Offensive Rights
16
N.
Intellectual Property---The Big Picture
16
O.
Trademarks
18
P.
Copyright
22
Q.
Trade Secrets
27
R.
Unfair Competition
32
S.
Acquisition of Offensive Rights in Intellectual Property---Summary Chart
34
T.
Summary of Legal Remedies for Misappropriation of Various Types of Intellectual Property
34
U.
Invention Exploitation Flowchart
34
V.
Summary
34
2.
The Science and Magic of Inventing
37
A.
What We Mean by "Invention"
38
B.
Inventing by Problem Recognition and Solution
39
C.
Inventing by Magic (Accident and Flash of Genius) Li
42
D.
Making Ramifications and Improvements of Your Invention
43
E.
Solving Creativity Problems
44
F.
Contact Other Inventors
47
G.
Beware of the Novice Inventor's "PGL Syndrome"
47
H.
Don't Bury Your Invention
48
I.
Summary
48
3.
Documentation and the PPA
49
A.
Introduction
51
B.
Documentation Is Vital to the Invention Process
51
C.
Documentation Has Legal Implications
52
D.
Trade Secret Considerations
53
E.
Record Conception and the Building and Testing of Your Invention
53
F.
How to Record Your Invention
55
G.
Another Way to Record Conception or Building and Testing---The Invention Disclosure
60
H.
The Provisional Patent Application---A Substitute for Building and Testing, With Some Disadvantages
62
I.
Don't Sit on Your Invention After Documenting It
83
J.
Don't Use a "Post Office Patent" to Document Your Invention
83
K.
Summary
83
4.
Will Your Invention Sell?
85
A.
Why Evaluate Your Invention for Salability?
86
B.
Start Small but Ultimately Do It Completely
86
C.
You Can't Be 100% Sure of Any Invention's Commercial Prospects
87
D.
Take Time to Do a Commercial Feasibility Evaluation
87
E.
Check Your Marketability Conclusions Using the Techniques of Consultation and Research
94
F.
Now's the Time to Build and Test It (If Possible)
96
G.
The Next Step
97
H.
Summary
97
5.
Is It Patentable?
99
A.
Patentability Compared to Commercial Viability
101
B.
Legal Requirements for a Utility Patent
101
C.
Requirement #1: The Statutory Classes
103
D.
Requirement #2: Utility
108
E.
Requirement #3: Novelty
110
F.
Requirement #4: Unobviousness
115
G.
The Patentability Flowchart
125
H.
Don't Make Assumptions About the Law
127
I.
Summary
128
6.
Search and You May Find
129
A.
Why Make a Patentability Search?
131
B.
When Not to Search
133
C.
The Two Ways to Make a Patentability Search
134
D.
The Quality of a Patent Search Can Vary
134
E.
How to Hire a Patent Professional
135
F.
How to Prepare Your Searcher
137
G.
Analyzing the Search Report
137
H.
Computer Searching
149
I.
Do-It-Yourself Searching
153
J.
The Scope of Patent Coverage
164
K.
Patent and Trademark Resource Centers
166
L.
Problems Searching Software and Business Inventions
167
M.
Searches on the Internet
170
N.
NPL (Non-Patent Literature) Searches
177
O.
Summary
178
7.
What Should I Do Next?
179
A.
Fig. 7---Invention Decision Chart
180
B.
Drop It If You Don't See Commercial Potential (Chart Route 10-12-14-X)
180
C.
Try to Sell Invention to Manufacturer Without "Regular" Patent Application (Chart Route 10-12-14-16-18-B)
182
D.
File an Application and Sell It to or License a Manufacturer If You See Commercial Potential and Patentability (Chart Route 14-16-18-20-22-A)
182
E.
If You Have Commercial Potential Without Patentability, License or Sell Your Invention to a Manufacturer Without Filing (Chart Route 16-24-26-28-30-B)
183
F.
Make and Sell Your Invention Yourself Without a Utility Patent Application (Chart Route-16-30-C)
185
G.
Manufacture and Distribute Your Invention Yourself, Keeping It as a Trade Secret (Chart Route 20-32-D)
186
H.
File Patent Application and Manufacture and Distribute Your Invention Yourself (Trade-Secret Protectable Invention) (Chart Route 20-32-34-E)
187
I.
File Patent Application and Manufacture and Distribute Invention; Yourself (Non-Trade-Secret Protectable Invention) (Chart Route 20-32-34-E)
187
J.
Summary
188
8.
How to Draft the Specification and Initial Drawings
189
A.
Lay Inventors Can Do It!
191
B.
What's Contained in a Patent Application
191
C.
What Happens When Your Application Is Received by the PTO
193
D.
Do Preliminary Work Before Preparing Your Patent Application
194
E.
Flowchart
196
F.
Your Written Description Must Comply With the Full Disclosure Rules
196
G.
Software, Computer-Related Inventions, and Business Methods
200
H.
First Prepare Sketches and Name Parts
202
I.
Drafting the Specification
206
J.
Review Your Specification and Abstract Carefully
219
K.
Checklist for Your Patent Application Draft
220
L.
Specification of Sample Patent Application
220
M.
Summary
220
9.
Now for the Legalese---The Claims
237
A.
What Are Claims?
239
B.
The Law Regarding Claims
240
C.
Some Sample Claims
242
D.
Common Misconceptions Regarding Claims
247
E.
One Claim Should Be as Broad as Possible
248
F.
The Effect of Prior Art on Your Claim
249
G.
Technical Requirements of Claims
250
H.
Drafting Your Main (Independent) Claim
258
I.
Other Techniques in Claim Writing
262
J.
Drafting Dependent Claims
265
K.
Drafting Additional Sets of Claims
270
L.
Checklist for Drafting Claims
271
M.
Summary
271
10.
Finaling and Mailing Your Application
277
A.
The Drawings
279
B.
PTO Rules for Drawings
279
C.
Doing Your Own Drawings
281
D.
Consider Using a Professional Patent Draftsperson
291
E.
Finaling Your Specification for Paper Filing
291
F.
Finaling Your Specification for EFS-WebFiling
309
G.
File the Information Disclosure Statement Within Three Months
312
H.
Assignments
317
I.
Petitions to Make Special---Getting Your Application Examined Faster
319
J.
Filing a Design Patent Application
324
K.
Summary
327
11.
How to Market Your Invention
329
A.
Perseverance and Patience Are Essential
331
B.
Overview of Alternative Ways to Profit From Your Invention
331
C.
Be Ready to Demonstrate a Working Model of Your Invention to Potential Customers
335
D.
Finding Prospective Manufacturers/Distributors
336
E.
The "NIH" Syndrome
337
F.
The Waiver and Precautions in Signing It
337
G.
The Best Way to Present Your Invention to a Manufacturer
339
H.
Presenting Your Invention by Correspondence
340
I.
Making an Agreement to Sell Your Invention
341
J.
Manufacturing and/or Distributing the Invention Yourself
341
K.
Summary
343
12.
Going Abroad
345
A.
Don't File Abroad Unless Your Invention Has Very Good Prospects in Another Country
346
B.
Foreign Filing: The Basics
347
C.
The Paris Convention and the One-Year Foreign Filing Rule
347
D.
Other Priority Treaties Similar to the Paris Convention
348
E.
European Patent Office/Europaisches Patentamt/Office Europeen des Brevets (EPO)
348
F.
The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)
351
G.
Non-Convention Countries
351
H.
The Early Foreign Filing License or Mandatory Six-Month Delay
352
I.
The Patent Laws of Other Countries Are Different
352
J.
The Ways to File Abroad
354
K.
Rescind Any Nonpublication Request
359
L.
Foreign Filing Resources
360
M.
Summary
360
13.
Getting the PTO to Deliver
363
A.
What Happens After Your Patent Application Is Filed
366
B.
General Considerations During Patent Prosecution
370
C.
A Sample Office Action
381
D.
What to Do When You Receive an Office Action
387
E.
Format for Amending the Specification and Claims
396
F.
Drafting the Remarks
407
G.
Drawing Amendments
414
H.
Typing and Filing the Amendment
415
I.
If Your Application Is Allowable
418
J.
If Your First Amendment Doesn't Result in Allowance
419
K.
Interferences
424
L.
Defensive Publication
424
M.
If Your Application Claims More Than One Invention
424
N.
The Public May Cite Additional Prior Art Against Your Published Patent Application
425
O.
NASA Declarations
426
P.
Design Patent Application Prosecution
426
Q.
What to Do If You Miss or Want to Extend a PTO Deadline
426
R.
Summary
427
14.
Your Application Can Have Children
429
A.
Available Supplemental Cases
430
B.
Continuation Application
432
C.
Request for Continued Examination (RCE)
435
D.
Divisional Applications
436
E.
Continuation-in-Part and Independent Applications
437
F.
Reissue Applications
440
G.
Defensive Publications; SIR Program Abolished
441
H.
Substitute Applications
441
I.
Double Patenting and Terminal Disclaimers
442
J.
Summary
442
15.
After Your Patent Issues: Use, Maintenance, and Infringement
445
A.
Issue Notification
447
B.
Press Release and Marketing
447
C.
Check Your Patent for Errors
447
D.
Patent Number Marking
448
E.
Advertising Your Patent for Sale
449
F.
What Rights Does Your Patent Give You?
449
G.
Be Wary of Offers to Provide Information About Your Patent
451
H.
Maintenance Fees
452
I.
Legal Options If You Discover an Infringement of Your Patent
455
J.
What to Do About Patent Infringement
455
K.
Product Clearance (Can I Legally Copy or Make That?)
461
L.
How to Cite Prior Art and Other Information in Patent Applications and Patents
465
M.
The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC)
466
N.
Jury Trials
467
O.
Arbitration
467
P.
How Patent Rights Can Be Forfeited
467
Q.
Tax Deductions and Income
468
R.
Patent Litigation Financing
468
S.
Summary
469
16.
Ownership, Assignment, and Licensing of Inventions
471
A.
The Property Nature of Patents
472
B.
Who Can Apply for a Patent?
472
C.
Joint Owners' Agreement
474
D.
Special Issues Faced by the Employed Inventor
475
E.
Assignment of Invention and Patent Rights
477
F.
Record Your Assignment With the PTO
478
G.
Licensing of Inventions---An Overview
480
H.
Universal License Agreement
481
I.
How Much Should You Get for Your Invention?
485
J.
Summary
486
Appendixes
1.
Abbreviations Used in Patent It Yourself
489
2.
Resources: Government Publications, Patent Websites, and Books of Use and Interest
491
A.
Government Publications
492
B.
Patent Websites
492
3.
Glossaries
495
A.
Glossary of Useful Technical Terms
496
B.
Glossary of Legal Terms
502
4.
Fee Schedule
509
5.
Mail, Telephone, Fax, and Email Communications With the PTO
511
A.
Patent and Trademark Office Mail Addresses
512
B.
Patent and Trademark Office Telephones and Faxes
513
6.
Quick-Reference Timing Chart
515
7.
Forms
517
Nondisclosure Agreement
Invention Disclosure
Provisional Patent Application Cover Letter
Application Data Sheet---PTO SB/14
Positive and Negative Factors Evaluation
Positive and Negative Factors Summary
Consultant's Work Agreement
Searcher's Worksheet
Drawing Reference Numerals Worksheet
Declaration for Utility or Design Patent Application Using an Application Data Sheet
Declaration for Utility or Design Patent Application
Supplemental Sheet for Declaration
Utility Patent Application Transmittal
Fee Transmittal
Credit Card Payment Form
Information Disclosure Statement Cover Letter
Information Disclosure Statement by Applicant
Nonpublication Request
Request Under MPEP 707.07(j)
Petition to Make Special
Design Patent Application
Design Patent Application Transmittal
Request for Expedited Examination of a Design Application
Amendment
Submission of Corrected Drawings
Supplemental Declaration
Petition for Extension of Time
Pre-Appeal Brief Request for Review
Request for Continued Examination (RCE) Transmittal
Request for Certificate of Correction
Certificate of Correction
Maintenance Fee Reminder Sheet
Submission of Maintenance Fee
Joint Applicants---Statement of Respective Contributions
Joint Owners' Agreement
Assignment of Invention and Patent Application
Recordation Form Cover Sheet
Universal License Agreement
8.
List of Forms
605
A.
Editing RTFs
606
B.
List of Forms
606
Index
609