A patent is a form of protection that grants an exclusive right for an invention that is new, useful and non-obvious. If you have an invention that you want to protect, you want an experienced lawyer to help you obtain a patent.
Protecting Your Invention
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You can only get a patent for an invention if it meets the following criteria:
- Patentable Subject Matter: If your invention is not a product of nature, such as a mathematical formula or a thought process, then it is a patentable subject matter.
- Useful: Is your invention something that can be put to use?
- New: Does your invention as you have envisioned it already exist?
- Non-Obvious: Would a person of average skill in the invention's field of technology consider the differences between what already exists and your invention obvious?
As an attorney focused on intellectual property law, I can help you determine whether or not your invention meets these criteria. If it does, I can take your invention through the patent application process.
Types of Patents
There are two basic types of patents, but they do different things. We will help you determine what type of patent is best for you and take action to obtain the protection you deserve:
- Utility Patent: What most people think of as a patent, a utility patent protects functionality, or the way something works.
- Design Patent: Design patents protect the non-functional aspects of a product. The non-functional end of a dinner fork, for example, has a design element that can be protected with a design patent.
All patent applications are handled by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and are national in scope. A U.S. patent can be enforced anywhere in the United States and its territories. However, you cannot enforce a U.S. patent anywhere outside the U.S.
Contact Us
If you believe that you have an invention worth protecting, it is time to figure out if a patent is right for you. From our offices in downtown Boston, we can help you explore your options. Our office is open Monday through Friday from nine to five, and we offer evening and weekend appointments as well. Contact us today for a free initial consultation.
