As the economy has transformed from a manufacturing base manned by laborers to a service base driven by knowledge workers, intellectual capital has emerged as a leading asset class among industrialized countries worldwide.
Every business, including yours, has intellectual property assets, no matter what the business is, does, or sells! That means a product of your intellect has commercial value, which is legally protected through our intellectual property laws that governs the use and protection of Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, and Trade Secrets.
IP Strategy is a Business Strategy
I learned last night while attending an event that featured John Cabeca, Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in Silicon Valley that IP Strategy is a Business Strategy. When you think about everything it takes to literally move an idea from a mere thought to actual income, there is a lot involved with regards to time, energy and resources especially if it involves Patents. It is imperative that a solid plan be put in place to deal with so many of the issues related to protecting your IP assets. I can think of a hundred questions that you need to answer first so you are doing the right steps in the right order and have an actual plan so you stay on track to achieving the outcomes you desire. Once you have protected your intellectual property there are many ways to move into revenue but of course, you need to know all of your options first so you can make an informed decision on what makes the most sense for you and your business.
Patent Lawyers
John Cabeca emphasized more than once the importance of using registered professionals because patent law is a highly specialized area of the law and a good patent lawyer will make sure that your invention is protected. A good patent lawyer must have the rare abilities of explaining, elucidating, clarifying and simplifying. Writing a good patent application takes legal knowledge, technical knowledge and then the ability to explain all of that in a clear, concise manner that can withstand attacks from some of the smartest patent attorneys in the country if the patent becomes litigated.
I would encourage you to please contact me if you want referrals to good patent attorneys.
Also, check out the United States Patent and Trademark Office website which has a lot of excellent information and resources available
//www.uspto.gov
