Patent registration. Through our attorney network.

A patent is a government-granted right that lets an inventor exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited time, in exchange for publicly disclosing it. It protects functional inventions, unlike trademarks or copyrights. We flag whether your invention may be patentable and coordinate the process with a patent professional. See patent basics.

Generally new, useful, and non-obvious inventions, processes, machines, articles of manufacture, and compositions of matter, can be patented, while abstract ideas, laws of nature, and mere discoveries cannot. We flag whether your invention likely fits the categories so you pursue a patent where protection is actually available.

A provisional application establishes an early filing date and gives you a year to file a full utility application, while the utility patent is the examined application that can mature into an enforceable patent. We flag how they fit together so you use the provisional to preserve priority correctly.

For most inventions, yes: patent drafting and prosecution are technical and specialized, and a poorly drafted patent may be narrow or unenforceable, so a registered patent attorney or agent is usually essential. We flag where professional help is needed and coordinate so your filing is done properly.

A utility patent generally lasts twenty years from the filing date if maintenance fees are paid, after which the invention enters the public domain, so protection is long but finite. We flag the term and maintenance so you understand how long your protection runs and what keeps it in force.

Yes: public disclosure before filing can jeopardize your ability to patent, so keeping the invention confidential, or using a provisional to establish priority, matters. We flag the disclosure risks so you do not inadvertently forfeit your rights before you file.

Often yes: a search for prior art before investing in a full application can reveal whether your invention is likely novel, saving cost on an application that would fail. We flag when a search is worthwhile so you assess patentability before committing to the full process.

A patent protects functional inventions, a trademark protects brand identifiers, and a copyright protects creative works, so they cover different things and a business may need more than one. We flag which protection fits what you are trying to protect.

We flag whether your invention may be patentable, help you understand provisional versus utility filings, and coordinate with the qualified patent attorneys who draft and prosecute the application, so your invention is protected through the right professionals. See patent basics.