THE PATENT PROCESS: A GUIDE TO INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY FOR THE INFORMATION AGE

A simple, straightforward guide to the ins and outs of the modern patent process In the information age, intellectual property is often as valuable as-- if not more valuable than-- any physical asset a company or an entrepreneur can possess. But protecting your intellectual property is vitally important to your future success, no matter how brilliant your idea. Large businesses and corporations typically have their own patent attorneys to deal with intellectual property issues-- a luxury most small businesses and entrepreneurs can't afford. If you have intellectual property to protect, but you lack the resources of a major company, then The Patent Process is for you. Written for individuals, entrepreneurs, and small companies, it provides readers with a solid introduction to patents and other forms of intellectual property, without becoming exhaustive and overly complicated. It clearly and concisely explains the things you need to know to understand the patent process and make it work for you. It features an overview of the history and the primary issues in intellectual property, as well as a section that answers common questions about the patent process. Illustrative case studies are included to highlight important issues, such as: * Patents, copyrights, and trademarks-- what they are, what they do, and which one you need to protect your intellectual property * The application process for patents, trademarks, and copyrights * Foreign patents-- protecting your intellectual property abroad * The financing, licensing, and sale of patents * Trade secrets and how they differ from patents Creators of intellectual property want to focus on what they do best-- create and innovate -- rather than deal with the technicalities of patents and copyrights. The Patent Process offers an in-depth treatment of the core issues in intellectual property designed to help individuals protect their ideas and navigate the system to best effect.

CRAIG HOVEY, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Economics at St. John Fisher College. He is also a CPA and is currently researching entrepreneurism and intellectual property for another book. He lives in Rochester, New York.

Preface.

Acknowledgments.

Chapter 1: The Face Behind the Mask.

The Patent Explosion.

Overview of Intellectual Property.

Intangible Assets: Valuing What Cannot Be Seen.

From a Gleam in the Eye to a Product on the Shelf.

Chapter 2: Innovations and Entrepreneurs.

Innovation: The Practice of Improvement.

Entrepreneurs Are Us.

Chapter 3: History of Intellectual Property.

Patents.

Copyrights.

Trademarks.

Chapter 4: The Power to Patent.

To Protect What Is Yours.

Patent Power: Help or Hindrance?

Case Study: Bluetie's Secure Send.

The Law of the Land.

Clearing the Hurdles.

Chapter 5: Prior to the Patent.

Blinded by Love?

The Toe-in-the-Water Search.

Previewing the Coming Attraction.

The Need for Counsel.

The Search for Prior Art.

Keeping a Lid on It: The Stealth Phase.

Case Study: Bluetie: Putting It All Together.

Chapter 6: Applying for a Patent.

Who Can Stake a Claim?

Different Kinds of Patents.

Parts to a Patent.

Elements of a Patent Application.

Application Instructions.

Provisional Patents.

The Examination Process.

What If the Patent Is Rejected?

Chapter 7: Protecting Your Patent at Home and Abroad.

The Nature of Patents.

Foreign Patents.

Patent Infringement.

Defensive Publishing.

Chapter 8: The King of Patents.

An Addled Student.

Into the Working World.

The First Invention Factory.

A Wizard at Work.

Chapter 9: The Financing, Licensing, and Sale of Patents.

Raising Money.

Patent Licensing.

Case Study Mark Palazzo, President of Pittsford Capital Group.

Selling a Patent.

Chapter 10: Copyrighting Your Creations.

The Freedom of Protection.

What Is a Copyright?

Copyright Criteria.

Copyright Registration.

Protecting Your Copyright.

Fair Use.

Infringement.

International Copyrights.

Earning Royalties and the Sale of Copyrights.

Copyrights and the Web.

Case Study: Words to Eat By: The Dinosaur Bar-B-Que.

Case Study: What's in a Name? Paychex in Print.

Case Study: Staking Out New Territory: Bonadio & Co.

Chapter 11: The Trademark Story.

Branding Your Property.

What Is a Trademark?

The Birth of a Trademark.

Registering a Trademark.

Using a Trademark.

Trademarks on the Web.

Case Study: Paychex: From Small Label to Major Brand.

Case Study: People's Pottery: Made in America.

Chapter 12: Deep in the Vault: The Value of Trade Secrets.

The Colonel's Notebook.

Trade Secrets vs. Patents.

What Is a Trade Secret?

Obtaining Trade Secret Status.

Maintaining a Trade Secret.

Case Study: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que: The Secret's in the Sauce.

Case Study: Bluetie: The Secret of Speed.

Chapter 13: Common Questions about The Patent Process.

Index.