Responsible Online Businesses
A responsible online business can be sometimes hard to find. The internet is an attraction for those who do business in a dishonest way.
So what does a responsible online business look like? First thing- businesses that are good will usually not hide their contact information. It’s nice to see a business list their contact information such as a business address and phone number.
It is also important to see if they have been in business for quite awhile. This is not a must though, there are good companies out there that have just started up, but the key here would be to make sure you do a little investigation to who owns and operates the business.
Businesses that seem more honest are often listed with the Better Business Bureau, can be found in the Yellow pages, are registered with the local chamber of commerce in their area, or have applied for net security certificates.
Depending on the type of business you want to find, like a Dallas mortgage broker or a Maine OUI attorney, you will need to do your investigation based on different criteria. With some professions for example, they may have to be a part of a larger overseeing organization.
So do your homework. Never be afraid to call the company and ask questions!
Microsoft Can’t Sell Word? Patents Can Be Crazy
In just the last few days, a judge in Texas issued a ruling that prevents Microsoft from selling its popular Word product because of a patent infringement issue with another company, i4i.
The dispute revolves around patents relating to XML technology that Microsoft uses in its Word offering. The judge ordered MSFT to pay a significant fine and to stop selling Word within 60 days.
One odd point in the whole process is that the ruling came from a court in Texas, while Microsoft is headquartered in Washington and i4i is from Canada. Seems quite strange.
It will be quite interesting to see how this all plays out given the huge company that Microsoft is and the big blow this injunction would be to their profits.
Hat tip to BBC News…
Intellectual Property and Patents for Sale
The intellectual property protects all domains. That is way different categories of IP exist: copyright – for artistic works; a patent – for inventions; a trademark – a sign to distinguish certain products or services; an industrial design right – it protects the style, appearance or design of an industrial object, such as furniture, spare parts or textiles; a trade secret – secret information regarding the proprietary knowledge or commercial practices of a business, which may be illegal to disclose to the open public.
If you have intellectual property for sale, you can save yourself the trouble of trying to get it advertised and sold. All it takes is that you find a reputable web-based business – because we all know that the Internet is nowadays the most prolific way of promoting all sorts of things – and sell you intellectual property or license it. There are two ways you can do this.
The first one implies that you, as a licensee or intellectual property seller should create a listing on that web site, which will be posted on the site, thus allowing potential buyers access to it. From here on the process is very simple, as you will be contacted by buyers, and will be able to make a choice of the buyers you wish to continue your communication with, before you finally decide who is going to be the beneficiary of you intellectual property for sale.
The second way to get your intellectual property sold is to list it on a specialized web site, have it reviewed by their team of specialists and broadcast to qualified buyers, and for the interested buyers to contact you. Then follow some preliminary talks, followed by negotiations, upon which the purchase will be finalized offline, in the presence of the attorneys of both buyer and seller.
In other words, such web sites function as mediators between you, as an intellectual property holder, and the buyer. How can this be helpful to you? Well, such specialists will guide you through everything you need in the process of selling your intellectual property, from advertising for it to assisting you with the negotiations.
The same process takes place when you have patents for sale. You can contact an invention development organization that will help you in the process of marketing your invention, while protecting it form those fake inventors, who do nothing but copy yours.
Remember that the human race has gotten so far and will be able to go on only by relying on inventions and better ways of doing things. This is why you should contact specialized organizations that can market you patents for sales, so that the whole world can benefit from your invention. Only by doing so will you be able to turn your dreams into reality, and make the most of what you have invented, for the sake of many other people.
For more resources about Patents for sale or even about Intellectual Property for sale please review this weblink http://www.ideabuyer.com
By: Groshan Fabiola
About the Author:
For more resources about Patents for sale or even about Intellectual Property for sale please review this weblink http://www.ideabuyer.com
Basic Issues Regarding a Patent Search
The patent search must be accompanied by a search for the relevant documents that are likely to help you decide whether the patent will be obtained or not; the patent documents are usually found in online collections that may provide you with all the necessary information in order to develop a patent analytics strategy. You will be looking for fields that are usually described in a concise manner by using classification codes and abstracts.
Therefore, you will have to use these abstracts as well in order to make sure that you will access the necessary documentation. Even the patent records, file wrappers, or file histories are to be used in order to find whether your invention was patented or not; every patent record is likely to contain the main features of the invention. These features will be described by using the classification codes that have been chosen before. Even the technical content of every invention will be added to this record in order for the user to have a clearer picture of all the inventions that have already been patented. The abstracts are to be used in order to find whether your description of the invention matches one of the given descriptions that are to be found in the patent records.
A patent analytics strategy will help you express your search by using the relevant keywords that will access the patent record; but the expression of every technical subject is likely to remain the same because it is a combination that is likely to work in the case of every piece of documentation that relates to the already existing patents. All the existing documents will have the same things in common, namely the so called concepts that will help you find whether there are similar inventions or not. Therefore, your future search will consist in finding the documents that use a given combination of various concepts; this combination must be present in every case in order for you to find relevant information that may help you obtain the wanted patent. All the patent documents will be classified; therefore, you should not limit yourself to a single keyword because searching for various concepts will not depend on a single aspect or keyword. On the contrary, every individual concept is likely to be defined by various combinations of keywords and other classification symbols or codes that may be related to a particular concept in order to describe it in a concise manner without getting into details.
Therefore, every sound patent search and strategy must be complex enough in order to provide you with the necessary information; every search strategy should involve various combinations when it comes to classification symbols and keywords. You may find hard to search for all the existing synonyms that may cover a certain field; there are many classifications that are covering the same concept and you have to be fully aware of this possibility too in order not to despair when not finding the wanted concept. But you may also rely on the fact that relevant documents are likely to be displayed during your search thus revealing new methods in order to express your own concepts.
Even the experienced searcher is likely to handle this search with some difficulty because additional efforts are not likely to come along with the desired results. You will have to think in a lateral manner in order to avoid the possible dead ends that are not likely to lead you anywhere; you will have to think lateral in order to retrieve the additional concepts that may cover a certain concept that you are looking for. Therefore, you will have to explore multiple possibilities in order to approach the concept from a favorable angle; you must not stick to the same approach in case that this approach turns out to be quite ineffective.
By: Anne Tide
About the Author:
A patent search and patent analytics strategy are to be used in order to approach more possibilities.
What You Should Know About Patent Registration
What is a Patent?
A patent is when your government gives you the exclusive right to profit from an invention for a set number of years. If anyone else tries to sell something that is covered by your patent, then you will have the legal right to make them either pay you a licence fee or stop.
Each patent has a patent number – you might have seen ‘Pat No’ printed on some things, followed by this number. You may also have seen ‘patent pending’, which means that the patent has been applied for but not yet granted.
Your Invention Must Qualify.
Not all inventions can be covered by patents. Check that your invention meets these two requirements:
Is it new and secret? You can’t have showed your invention publicly before you apply for a patent. Whatever you do, don’t take your invention round and demonstrate it to people before you think about patents – you might make it impossible to get one.
Is it non-obvious? Your invention must not be something that would be obvious to experience in your chosen industry. This is to stop people rushing to patent things that anyone could figure out, and then charging high fees for their use.
In addition, you cannot apply for a patent for any of the following: a scientific or mathematical theory or method, a work of art (books, plays, etc. – computer programs are included), a way of doing things (eg. a new business method). Many of these things are, instead, covered by copyright. Patents are intended for actual, physical inventions.
Where Do I Get One?
Wherever you live, the chances are that it has a government agency called a ‘patent office’, or similar. There are also patent agencies for larger areas, such as the European Patent Office or, ultimately, the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation).
To begin with, you should apply for a patent at the patent office for your country – it’s best to get a lawyer to guide you through this, and make them sign an NDA (non-disclosure agreement, a contract saying they won’t tell anyone else about your invention). Depending on your country, this can either be absurdly cheap or really expensive.
Once you’ve done that, you generally have only one year to file for any patents you might want in the rest of the world. You used to have to apply individually in every country where you wanted a patent (this got very painful and expensive very quickly). Now, though, you can now take advantage of the PCT (Patent Co-operation Treaty), which allows you to apply once and eventually receive protection in all of the 126 countries that have signed up to the treaty.
You can apply for a PCT patent either through your own country’s patent office, or through the WIPO’s office in Geneva. It is again important to stress that you should really get a lawyer if you plan to go through this process, as international patent law isn’t especially intuitive or easy.
You should note that if your patent application is refused at any stage, you won’t be getting your fees back – although you can usually apply again, if you want to pay again.
What if I Don’t Get a Patent?
If you’ve looked at the prices, you might be wondering: what’s the worst thing that could possibly happen to me if I didn’t get a patent? The only answer I can give is that anyone you happen to explain the idea to can steal it, and you won’t be able to do a thing. What’s more, once your invention does come on the market, success will attract many imitators, and they’ll probably be able to produce your invention cheaper by sacrificing quality.
Essentially, a patent gives you protection against competition – but if you think you could do perfectly well in the market no matter how many imitators you had, then maybe patents aren’t for you.
By: Masni Rizal Mansor
About the Author:
Masni Rizal Mansor provide tips and review on how to buy franking machine in UK.
How to Patent your Invention or Idea
The process of invention is pleasant and rewarding but when it comes to obtaining a patent which makes you the legitimate owner of your creations and ideas the field changes. The first step towards obtaining a patent is to search the online database provided by through the government website which is in charge of keeping all of these records, this way you will know in an instant if your idea has already been patented or if it isn’t.
The U.S. Patent Office is in charge of keeping all records related to invention and ideas, their site address is uspto.gov , all the paperwork and applications needed to process a new patent are available on both online and off-line sources. These forms can be filled out by yourself or with the help of an attorney if you don’t feel quite comfortable with the process, however, must of the forms are straight forward, the information requested involves name of the inventor, description, functionality, drawings or charts and any other information pertinent to the idea being patented. The forms you will have to choose from are utility, plant and design; each one is intended for a specific kind of invention or idea.
You also need to be aware that there is a fee to have this paperwork processed. Once you have the information ready you can submit the form either electronically or in person. The person who reviews the form on behalf of the office will evaluate the information submitted and if it turns out your idea is unique you will get a patent which will protect your rights and will allow you to legally receive credits for your work.
The next step is to find an organization which helps inventors develop and market their ideas, this will launch your product full force into the market.
One more fact you need to be aware of is that this kind of protection is not permanent, depending on the application filed your idea is protected either 14 or 20 years. Twenty year protection applies to utility/plant and 14 year protection applies to design patents.
Always be patient and optimistic about the results of your submission, good luck!
By: IC
About the Author:
AbsolutelyNew.Zabmedia.com provides more information on idea patent procedures. Get an inventors guide to expose your product to the market, visit AbsolutelyNew today!
Get A New Idea? Learn The Simple Steps On How To Get A Patent For It And Where.
As with any other governmental process, it’s complicated just figuring out what the fees are and what they’re for, much less paying them. Let’s see if we can offer some clarity.
The legislation that authorizes the fees for your U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent application is the federal 2005 Consolidated Appropriations Act. This act mandates the latest revisions (undoubtedly, this means increase) for maintenance fees, search fees, filing fees, and examination fees. If your patent application were to exceed 100 pages you would also incur an application size fee. Fees differ according to whether you file online or by mail. It also varies depending on whether you are applying for a utility or design patent.
The basic filing fee for a utility patent is reduced in half if you’re considered a small entity – a sole proprietor inventor, a small business or a non-profit organization. As of December 8th, 2004, this fee ranges from $75-$795 for a utility patent and $100-$200 for a design patent.
More than likely you’ll fall into the utility patent category. It is defined by the U.S. Patent Office as a machine, process, “article of manufacture,” or “process of matter.” A design patent, in contrast, is the invention of a new pattern or ornamental design for manufacture.
Search fee range is wide as well – $50-$500. Examination fees will cost you between $65 and $200.
Once your patent is in force, however, you are not yet out of the financial woods. You will need to pay maintenance fees to keep your patent in force. These payment dates are determined by the date of the original application, and must be paid 3 1/2, 7 1/2 and 11 1/2 years from that date.
The hefty fee is determined by date of payment. The first maintenance fee for small entities is $450; the second fee totals $1150; and the third $1900. For those determined by the U.S. PTO not to qualify as a small entity the fee is double. Design patent holders pay no maintenance fees. These maintenance fees apply to utility patents only.
For these charges you’ll receive protection against the loss of revenue from your invention that could occur with duplication of your products or ideas. The U.S. PTO also offers informational assistance, as well as face-to-face guidance.
In its tenth year, the annual Independent Inventors Conference, cosponsored with PTO by the National Inventors Hall of Fame, rolls out expert speakers who can offer tips on protecting your intellectual property, marketing your products, licensing your idea, finding a firm to help promote your invention, and understanding of trademarks and copyrights as well. At past conferences, folks like the PTO director, the U.S. patent commissioner, and the deputy commissioner for patent policy have offered their expansive expertise.
The U.S. PTO site can help you with applications, terminology, and finding a patent attorney or other professional to aid in your patent search. It is also your best source for finding the nearest walk in help – your local Patent and Trademark Depository Library.
By: Jason Roberts
About the Author:
Robert Michael is a writer for Juris Patents
which is an excellent place to find patents links,
resources and articles. For more information go to:
http://www.jurispatents.com