Inventors are excited when they create a new product that will solve a problem and potentially make them a lot of money. While the first inclination is to rush it to market and beat all of their competitors, they should apply for a patent first. A patent protects them people who would steal their idea. Likewise the patent process also ensures that they aren’t stealing someone else’s original idea. Therefore the patent process is both legally complex and technically challenging. Because of the security involved with the protection of ideas, only two people can apply for a patent. The inventor or their Legal Patent St. Louis attorney. Only attorneys registered with the US Patent office can file an application.
In order to obtain a patent that product or process must be unique. This can be a complex decision. Products can be quite similar and yet be unique. The patent office will review all of the information provided to determine if the product is new or infringes on another person’s existing patent. Patent applications are both legal and technical documents. The lawyer is the best person to shepherd it through the legal framework. However, it is possible that questions will have to be answered and revisions made to the application. During this process, it is necessary for the inventor to work professionally with the Legal Patent St. Louis lawyer.
In fact larger companies will hire a patent attorney to perform a patent search before authorizing a project. This ensures that they won’t be infringing upon an existing patent. However in a popular niche many companies may be looking for the next product innovation within it. So several companies may be racing to create a very similar product. It’s not uncommon for several companies to spend millions of dollars for research on a similar product. In the end, only one may receive a patent.
U.S. patents only protect a product within the United States. If an inventor wants protection in other countries they have two choices. They can file for a patent in each country or file an application under the Patent Cooperation Treaty. Their Legal Patent St. Louis lawyer can tell them which is best for their own circumstances.
