Intellectual Property

Patents may provide legal protection for businesses for up to 20 years, depending on the type of patent. Certain types of patents may last for a shorter duration. When a patent eventually expires, the product or process protected by the patent becomes public domain....

Research universities often invest heavily in retaining the services of cutting-edge medical and technological professors. They offer grants and other forms of support to undergrads and graduate students with unique research projects. The goal is to promote research...

When organizations begin the patent prosecution process, they have to make details about unique concepts clear. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) reviews patent requests to ensure that concepts and products are adequately different from existing...

Prosecuting a patent is a notoriously difficult and complex process. Even well-established businesses may struggle to manage patent prosecution, and small mistakes can translate to major delays. Companies seeking patents typically want to complete the process as...

There are numerous complex requirements for successfully prosecuting a patent. The business seeking patent protection needs to conduct thorough research to validate the claim that the concept or product they intend to patent is not already protected under an existing...

Organizations that invest in research and development or acquire ideas from researchers have something valuable to protect. Patents are among the strongest forms of intellectual property protection available. The process of prosecuting a patent is complex but...

Patent disputes are common in industries that thrive on innovation, such as technology, pharmaceuticals and manufacturing. These conflicts generally arise when one party alleges that another has infringed on its patented intellectual property (IP). Licensing...

Seeking a patent is a lengthy process in most cases. Those hoping to obtain a patent to protect a concept or product idea have to invest in research and development. Once they have unique ideas or new concepts established, then the research stage begins. Typically,...

Patented concepts and products often represent tens of thousands of dollars of business investment and countless hours of research. Companies develop entire teams intended to create cutting-edge software solutions or new ways to produce medical lasers. They may then...

Intellectual property (IP) helps to define how businesses are identified and operate. It’s up to each company’s owners to protect relevant IP. For example, seeking patents, registering trademarks, etc. can help to safeguard these valuable assets. Another way that a...