The other day I was on the internet using the Google search engine trying to locate eye doctors in my area. I began my search with “eye doctors Tulsa,” which resulted in a list of websites of most of the eye doctors in town. I then narrowed my search with “eye doctors, Tulsa, Mid-town” and that search resulted in Midtown Eye Care and websites for most of the eye doctors in Tulsa. My point in this example is that, while the World Wide Web is full of information, sometimes it is difficult to find the exact information for which you are searching. This article will assist you in finding the information that you require regarding patents, trademarks, and copyrights.
Head, Johnson & Kachigian, P.C. Website
www.hjklaw.com
Head, Johnson & Kachigian, P.C.’s website is full of pertinent information that will be very useful to you. Under the Our Services tab, you will find information about patents, trademarks, copyrights, litigation, and international services. The information provided will give you a description of each service and how HJK can assist you in obtaining or enforcing a patent, trademark, or copyright.
The Resources tab provides the following:
IP Fact Sheets: information on patents, trademarks, and copyrights, as well as intellectual property tips for staring a new business.
Issued Patents: a list of recent United States patents prosecuted by Head, Johnson and Kachigian, P.C. categorized by year of issuance.
Newsletters: archived copies of Head, Johnson & Kachigian, P.C. newsletters.
Investor Resources: directories of sources for general information and assistance in capitalizing on your idea, broken into subcategories of general inventor assistance, small business development, venture funding, business and product development, and internet resources.
Google Patents
www.google.com/patents
Google Patents is a searchable database of issued U. S. patents and U.S. patent publications. Each time you open the website, you will find five funny or interesting patents that change each time you log onto the site. You have the option to choose a picture and Google patents will give you the information on that patent. You can enter a patent number, application number, publication number, inventor’s name, or a keyword to search patents. You will then find a copy of the patent or publication, including claims and drawings.
Google Patents is a user friendly site; however, it is not as complete as the United States Patent and Trademark Office site and it takes approximately thirty days after a patent is issued to show up on Google Patents.
United State Patent and Trademark Office
www.uspto.gov
The United States Patent and Trademark Office has recently redesigned their website, and while it is still under construction, it is already more user friendly than it was before the redesign. On their home page you will find popular links and USPTO news, including information on the website redesign.
Some helpful areas on the website include the following:
PATENTS: To access the Patents page, click “Patents” either at the top or along the right side of the home page. Resources included on the Patents page include:
Search Patents: The USPTO Patent Full-Text and Image Database allows you to search the text of published patent applications and issued patents.
PAIR: Public PAIR allows you to access the entire file wrapper for recent patents and publications. You can also find related patents and applications, including PCT applications.
Inventors FAQs: On this page, you can learn about patents, the patent process, what can and cannot be patented, and other commonly requested information.
TRADEMARKS: To access the Trademarks Home, click “Trademarks” either at the top or along the right side of the USPTO home page. On the Trademarks Home, you can click the TESS tab to search pending and registered marks using the Trademark Electronic Search System.
The United States Copyright Office
www.copyright.gov
The United States Copyright Office website has general information under the Copyright Basics tab; the Frequently Asked Questions tab is equally helpful. In addition, under the publications tab you will find circulars and brochures that provide basic information about a wide variety of aspects of the copyright process. The Electronic Copyright Office link allows you to file a copyright registration with the Copyright Office.I hope that this information will save you time while browsing the internet in search of intellectual property information. Happy Surfing.
