A patent is the property right given by the U.S Patent and Trademark Office to an inventor to exclude others from making, using or selling the claimed invention. The patent process for a new invention can be complicated, time consuming, and tiresome, but we work with our clients to educate them about the process. Hiring a top-quality patent attorney who understands both the patent prosecution process and the business steps you should take to defend your innovation can save both time and expense.
Patent attorneys often argue complicated scientific and legal principles before trained government professionals to explain why your invention is different from other products already in the market and other patents already issued. Our California patent attorneys are experienced enough to craft language that describes your invention as broadly as possible while distinguishing it from other patents and aggressively represent your interests in front of patent examiners to reach the best outcome.
Patents are first and foremost, legal documents, but they are also used as marketing, sales and business assets for growing companies. Patent attorneys start by understanding your invention or idea and then conducting a search to determine whether a patent or similar product already exists. We can handle both preparing, electronically filing, and prosecuting patent applications in the United States as well as using the Patent Cooperation Treaty system and working with local counsel in foreign jurisdictions to file international patent applications.
For innovations not quite ready for the patent process, preparing and filing a provisional patent application can provide great value to preserve a priority filing date while considering whether to proceed with a full utility patent.