Your intellectual property is important. You’ve spent months, perhaps years, on these ideas of yours. Don’t you want to give them the best possible chance at success?

This is where a patent comes into play. It’s not enough to brute force your way into protecting your work…you need a few legalities on your side. The domestic patent process is one thousands of Americans apply to every year, designed with the express purpose of looking after your work at all times. It can be a bit intimidating if you’ve never done it before, however. A patent attorney can walk you through your application and clear up any concerns you have right off the bat.

In today’s digital age it’s easier than ever to lay claim to something that’s not yours. Let’s learn more about what it takes to obtain a patent so you can defend your work sooner rather than later.

It seems everywhere you look there are people stealing ideas. They’re scrubbing out watermarks, pretending to be other people…it’s quite a lot to face up to when putting your original work out there! While not everything can be patented, the qualifications are broad enough to encompass nearly any type of original invention. There are several criteria your patent will have to go through to be reviewed, then approved. An attorney with years of experience in the field will have the answers you’re looking for.

The history of the patent stretches back several decades. The very first patent law was used nearly 230 years ago, gradually being tweaked and refined into the reliable legal protection we know today. A recent survey found patents are strongly utilized across 12 industries — among the industries where they are successfully used, 50% or more inventions meet the current criteria. To top that off, the USPTO receives over 500,000 applications every year. These aren’t bad odds…but it doesn’t hurt to be careful!

Intellectual property issues abound on a daily basis. You have one company defending its right to one idea, you have an individual attempting to stomp out copyright infringement. It helps to have the law on your case! The criteria your patent needs to pass will encompass details ranging from the design of your product to how it compares to similar concepts. Don’t be afraid to a little more research before reaching out to a patent attorney in Denver — it will give you the time you need to fine tune any ideas before they’re put out for the viewing pleasure of the public.

Are you a small businessowner trying to get their brand off the ground? Do you just have a really cool idea you hope to make a little side money off of? Ask these questions now so you can save yourself some time later. A provisional patent application can protect your invention for a period of twelve months, with a ‘patent pending’ on your product all the while. If you don’t file for a regular patent application within that time it will expire, leaving your invention unprotected — before you ask, a PPA also can’t ‘mature’ into a patent.

More people than ever are starting to think twice about putting their works up for grabs. There are far too many thieves out there ready to make a mockery of all your hard work. A Colorado patent attorney will be more than happy to talk shop with you. They can review your product or idea, stacking it up against similar concepts to weigh its possibility for success. They’ll walk you through the application process, too, and make sure you don’t miss out on any vital deadlines — a patent that’s approved will go strong for 20 years.

Your idea means a lot to you. Make sure it’s kept safe by filling out a patent application!