Zippers, blow dryers, and chewing gum are a few of the inventions by Americans that made a fortune for their inventors. Offering an introduction to patent law written in laymans terms, this guide reveals how to secure a patent without expensive attorney fees. The companion CD-ROM contains all the necessary forms and checklists needed to file a patent.

Hundreds of thousands of people apply for patents, copyrights, and trademarks in the United States every year. For example, the United States Patent and Trademark office recently reported that 452,633 patent applications were filed in one year. You can easily become one of these people if you have created the greatest American invention, if you are the next Stephen King and have written a book to prove it, or if you have designed an eye-catching logo for your company. The Complete Guide to Patents, Copyrights, and Trademarks will provide you with all the information you need to know about acquiring, registering, maintaining, and protecting your intellectual property. A patent is a grant of property rights to the inventor and essentially excludes others from making, using, and selling your invention, whereas a trademark is a word, symbol, or device used to indicate the source of goods and to distinguish your goods from those of others. A copyright, on the other hand, protects original works and the form of the expression rather than the subject matter. This new, exhaustively researched book will help you decide which of the three you need to apply for, as well as which things can be patented, trademarked, and copyrighted and which cannot. In this book, you will learn how to file an application, how to register, how to avoid infringement, and how to avoid common problems. Additionally, you will become knowledgeable about where to fi≤ the fees involved; laws and regulations associated with the process; the differences between copyrights, trademarks, and patents; the differences between utility, design, and plant patents; who may apply; attorneys and agents; and the forms you need to fill out. Whether you are applying for a patent, copyright, or trademark, this book will provide you with all the necessary information necessary to do so. The Complete Guide to Patents, Copyrights, and Trademarks is the only book you need to read if you want to protect your intellectual property. Atlantic Publishing is a small, independent publishing company based in Ocala, Florida. Founded over twenty years ago in the company presidentâe(tm)s garage, Atlantic Publishing has grown to become a renowned resource for non-fiction books. Today, over 450 titles are in print covering subjects such as small business, healthy living, management, finance, careers, and real estate. Atlantic Publishing prides itself on producing award winning, high-quality manuals that give readers up-to-date, pertinent information, real-world examples, and case studies with expert advice. Every book has resources, contact information, and web sites of the products or companies discussed.

What do all of these famous inventions have in common: air conditioning, airbags, bandages, barbed wire, blow dryers, can openers, cement, chewing gum, computers, credit cards, doughnuts, jeans, microwave ovens, paper towels, Play-Doh, Post-it Notes.

Written by an attorney who has over 30 years' experience in the patent profession, this book walks inventors step by step through the entire process of filing for a patent. Includes all the required forms.

The world's bestselling guide to patenting your creation! Have a world-class idea? Ready to protect your invention from copycats? Then turn to the best resource available-- Patent It Yourself. Attorney David Pressman takes you through the entire patent process, providing scrupulously updated information and clear instructions .

Intellectual property law is currently exploding, as demonstrated by the growth of technology transfer offices in universities. More and more scientists, companies, and institutions are rushing to secure intellectual property rights for their ideas and inventions. This process frustrates many people; patent laws are constantly changing, and most books about them are either overly technical or boring. Protecting Your Ideas: The Inventor's Guide to Patents is a succinct, straightforward guide to the system. This guide presents the steps involved in obtaining patent protection for inventions. It is easy to read and brimming with essential information and advice compounded from FAQs posed by the author's academic and industrial clientele. The text includes tips, warnings, and examples that guide the reader through the invention process so patent rights are not jeopardized. Checklists and other helpful information are provided to assist the inventor preparing to enter the patent process. The book includes valuable resource information and business guidance to protect the inventor from consumer fraud that is sometimes associated with the patent process. Protecting and Idea is a must read for every engineer, scientist, or amateur inventor. Simple, easy-to-read format demystifies the patent process Numerous example patents help to illustrate the issues involved Provides an overview of the types of intellectual property protection Incorporates up-to-date information about U.S. patent laws Advises inventors about the do's and don'ts of patenting Includes useful resources for helping inventors safeguard their ideas

Today, virtually all companies, artists, and innovators run the risk of losing their competititve edge-and big money-by not adequately safeguarding their intellectual property. Written by an expert in intellectual property law, this is the first book to address the full range of legal protections available-patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, and licensing-with innovative information you won't find elsewhere, including: € Legal landmines every successful entrepreneur must avoid € Business practices that can be protected-but are often overlooked € Protecting your intellectual property on the Internet € What are your ideas and the rights to them really worth? € Why trade secrets are a powerful and under-utilized protection € Lessons learned from Amazon.com, Microsoft, and other elite entrepreneurs € How even smart, savvy AOL lost exclusive trademarks, including "YOU'VE GOT MAIL!" The Entrepreneur's Guide to Patents, Copyrights, Trademarks, Trade Secrets and Licensing is the definitive guide for the entrepreneur and innovator who is ready to protect what he or she has created-a