What is a Patent?
Before discussing about patent firms, let us know what a patent is?
A patent is a form of intellectual property right given by the government of the country. The patent right allows an inventor to prevent others from selling, using, or making the invention in the country for 20 years. But the patent owner can license or sell patent rights to others.
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
The USPTO is a government body that grants patents and other IP rights in the USA. The USPTO guides patents related matters such as filings, prosecution, grants, and maintenance. Your invention needs to fulfil specific requirements to get a granted patent. To get a patent in the US, you need to file a patent application and follow the process given by the USPTO.
Patent Process & Patent Expert
Getting a Patent is a complex process without proper knowledge and experience. It requires techno-legal expertise, and the process includes drafting, preparing forms, paying official fees, etc. The following steps involve the preparation of responses to issued office actions. It's always advisable to consult a patent expert. A patent expert may be a patent attorney or a patent agent. A patent expert helps in the preparation of the patent application and completes all procedures. They represent your cases in the most efficient way. It reduces your effort and time and increases the chances of getting a granted Patent.
So, to get help from a patent expert, you need to contact a patent firm in California. You can reach out to an IP law firm in California and discuss your invention. They help you with the entire filling process. There are different type of organizations, and they may be called based on expertise they may have. These may include a patent firm, a patent law firm, an IP law firm, a patent company, an IP advisory etc.
Patent Firms
A patent firm, an IP Firm or patent companies in California may provide you with end-to-end services of a patent life cycle based on their expertise. Following are some of the services:
Ideation: Individual inventors or start-ups may find it challenging to identify patentable ideas. Inventors focus on research but may not have time to explore existing technologies. R&D teams have a lot of good ideas, but they do not know which one they should protect. These are some questions which a patent firm can help you with answers. Analysis such as Landscape, White-space, and Knock-out searches provide valuable insights. A patent firm can also conduct sessions with your team to identify patentable ideas.
Protection: You can plan to protect down-selected ideas. The process starts with prior art search, drafting and filing patent applications. These are some of the most critical steps. A patent firm also guides in filing strategy in various countries on your interest. You can have a good understanding of the timelines and costs involved in the process. They can also guide you on the type of IP protection you may need. These may include utility patents, design patents, plant patents, trademarks, or copyrights.
Risk Mitigation: Planning a product launch in a specific market without IP risk may be helpful in business growth. A patent firm can perform analysis to mitigate risk and plan for a counter-strategy if required. Such research may include Freedom-to- operate, Infringement, and invalidity analysis, among others.
Monetization: Monetization includes making & selling your products based on patented technology. But one can also monetize patent assets by licensing or selling the patent rights. A patent firm can help with the valuation of patented technology and in identifying potential partners for licensing.
You can avail any of the above-mentioned services based upon your requirements.
Why IPExcel?
IPExcel is one of the top patent firms in California. The patent firm appoints an appropriate patent expert as per your need, a patent or trademark attorney, patent analyst, or a patent advisor. We at IPExcel have the best patent experts and provide services across the entire life-cycle of a patent. We also help you to optimize your strategy for global patent filings. We ensure you to get the best representation in securing your patent rights at the best cost.
If you are looking for patent lawyers near you, IPExcel is a leading patent firm in California. We aspire to provide you with a smooth process to protect your IP. Please feel free to contact us today for a free consultation.