Patent Registration
If you’ve developed a new and innovative method, process, machine, or composition, securing a utility patent can help protect your invention and your right to profit from it. In the United States, the patent system favors the first inventor to file, so timely application is crucial. Waiting too long can result in someone else securing the patent, even if you were the original inventor. Proving your invention’s priority is no longer sufficient; prompt filing is essential to safeguard your rights.
Once granted, a patent gives you the exclusive right to prevent others from making, using, or selling your invention without permission. This exclusivity means that others must negotiate a licensing agreement with you to legally utilize your invention, or they risk infringing on your patent. Our patent attorneys at HPL are experienced in managing all aspects of patent prosecution, from initial reviews to final appeals, ensuring that your invention is protected effectively.
The patent application process involves detailed drafting, reviewing prior art, and responding to Patent Office requests. Our free initial consultation includes a thorough Prior Art Search and Patentability Analysis to assess your invention’s chances of success. We guide you through the process, help expedite applications when possible, and offer international patent protection through our network of trusted global attorneys.
Contact HPL today to discuss how we can help you protect your invention and maximize its potential.
Design Patents
Purpose: Protects the ornamental design or appearance of an article, not its functional aspects.
Duration: 15 years from the date of grant (in the U.S.).
Examples:
- A unique shape of a smartphone.
- Decorative features of furniture.
- The design of a car.
Utility Patents
Purpose: Protects new and useful inventions or discoveries, including processes, machines, articles of manufacture, compositions of matter, or improvements to any of these.
Duration: 20 years from filing date.
Examples:
- A new type of engine.
- Software algorithms.
- Pharmaceuticals.
Provisional Patent Applications
Purpose: Allows inventors to establish an early filing date for their invention while giving them up to 12 months to file a complete utility patent application.
Duration: 12 months (non-extendable); it does not grant patent rights but serves as a placeholder.
Examples:
- An early-stage concept requiring refinement or additional funds.
Defensive Publications
Purpose: Publicly discloses an invention to prevent others from patenting it (not technically a patent but serves as prior art).
Duration: Permanent publication; it does not grant exclusivity.
Reissue Patents
Purpose: Issued to correct an error in an already granted patent (e.g., claims too broad or too narrow).
Duration: Matches the remaining term of the original patent.
International Patents
Purpose: Allows inventors to seek patent protection in multiple countries through the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).
Duration: Based on individual national laws after entering the national phase.
Examples: Useful for inventions targeting a global market.
