[Harp-L] Re: patents



Here is a link to the USPTO.
(United States Patent and Trademark Office)
http://www.uspto.gov/#
It explains the various types of patents and how they may be obtained.
One type of "patent" that can be gotten is called a Provisional Patent.
Think of it as sort of a learner's permit.
It allows you to safely test the waters , so to speak, to see if there is actually a market for your idea.
You can use the term Patent Pending with a Provisional Patent.
They are only good for 12 months and cannot be renewed.
You must file for a regular patent before this expires or you could lose your right to patent it in the future. Therefore, you should give serious thought as to whether this is the best option for your particular situation or if you want to skip to the chase and file a full blown patent.
This is not intended to substitute for legal advise.
It's merely an observation from my own experience.






This archive was generated by a fusion of Pipermail 0.09 (Mailman edition) and MHonArc 2.6.8.