Table of Contents
What is AppFT?
AppFT contains the full text of all published US patent applications; these applications may be pending or abandoned. In addition to text, both databases provide access to images of the documents as PDF or TIFF images. Both databases are available at http://patft.uspto.gov/.
What is USPTO Patft?
Patents may be searched in the USPTO Patent Full-Text and Image Database (PatFT). The USPTO houses full text for patents issued from 1976 to the present and PDF images for all patents from 1790 to the present.
How do I know if something is patented?
To find out if an invention has already been patented, you can search the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) patent database. The USPTO is the federal agency responsible for reviewing patent applications and determining whether an invention is unique enough to issue a one.
What is an example of a patent?
Patent law protects inventions (utility patents) and ornamental designs for articles of manufacture (design patents). Examples of manufactured articles protected by design patents are a design for the sole of running shoes, a design for sterling silver tableware, and a design for a water fountain.
What are the 3 types of patents?
The three types of patents are utility patents, design patents, and plant patents. A utility patents protect the function of a composition, machine, or process.
How can I patent my idea for free?
The Patent Pro Bono Program attempts to match inventors with registered patent agents or patent attorneys. These practitioners volunteer their time without charging the inventor. However, the inventor still must pay all fees that are required by the USPTO; these cannot be paid by the practitioner.
What can and Cannot be patented?
So, here are some examples of what cannot be patented….Example.
| Patentable | Non-patentable |
|---|---|
| A new generator (the technical solution) | The mathematical formula for how the generator produces electricity |
| Use of the generator on a bicycle | A scheme for how to sell the generator |
| A method of manufacturing the generator |
What are the 4 types of patents?
There are four different patent types:
- Utility patent. This is what most people think of when they think about a patent.
- Provisional patent.
- Design patent.
- Plant patent.
Do you need a prototype to get a patent?
Many inventors wonder if they need a prototype prior to patenting an invention. The simple answer is “no’. A prototype is not required prior to filing a patent application with the U.S. Patent Office. While prototypes can be valuable in developing your invention, they can also be costly.
Do patents cost money?
A patent can cost from $900 for a do-it-yourself application to between $5,000 and $10,000+ with the help of patent lawyers. A patent protects an invention and the cost of the process to get the patent will depend on the type of patent (provisional, non-provisional, or utility) and the complexity of the invention.
What products are not patentable?
Inventions That Are (Surprisingly) Not Patented
- Laptop and Cell Phone.
- Computer Mouse.
- Emoticon.
- Karaoke Machine.
- Assault Rifle.
- Tetris.
- Matches.
- Antibodies.
Can you patent an idea without a prototype?
Many inventors wonder if they need a prototype prior to patenting an invention. The simple answer is “no’. A prototype is not required prior to filing a patent application with the U.S. Patent Office.