Patents are granted for new and useful inventions, and they will give you the right to prevent others from manufacturing, using, or selling your invention. Did you know that the first registered patent was granted in the 15th century? It was for the Italian architect and designer Filippo Brunelleschi in 1421, for a ship carrying marble along the Arno River. Despite the popularity of mobile phones with Wi-Fi connectivity, people continue to choose Bluetooth as an option for data transfer. Invented in 1994 by Jaap Haartsen, Bluetooth technology allows nearby electronic devices to be connected using low-power, ultra-high frequency waves. Nowadays, Bluetooth is used in almost all portable devices for transferring and receiving multimedia.
The phytosanitary patent offers protection to gardeners, plant breeders and growers who work to invent new plants or discover new plants in nature. A patent example is useful for someone who is applying for a patent and wants to know what information needs to be included in their patent application. To obtain patent, trademark and trade secret protection in another country, you must comply with that country's requirements to obtain protection. Patent law safeguards inventions (utility patents) and ornamental designs of manufactured items (design patents). Once a patent is issued, this information, known as disclosure, becomes available to the public, as are patent claims (legal rights defined by the patent holder).
In the case of utility patents in effect before June 8, 1995, the term of validity of the patent shall be greater than seventeen years from the date of issue (the period under the previous law) or twenty years from the date of filing the application. However, a US court invalidated the patent on the grounds that the Atanasoff—Berry (ABC) computer, developed in the 1940s, was the first. Internet-related inventions protected by utility patents include communication protocols, data compression techniques, interfaces, network methods, encryption techniques, interfaces, online payment systems, and information processing and retrieval technologies. Among the most interesting patented innovations was the Maglev, or magnetic levitation used to drive trains. If a utility patent was issued on or after June 8, 1995, it will expire 17 years after the grant date or 20 years after the first effective filing date, whichever occurs later. In the field of e-commerce, patentable inventions and processes include electronic postage, electronic cash, and e-commerce business methods (discussed later in this chapter).
Patents provide a positive image for your company which can be beneficial when creating a business. Inventors also benefit from patents since it takes them years and a lot of money to develop a product. Due to delays in the patent application process, non-obvious evidence can be evaluated long after the patent application has been filed and what is considered obvious can change quickly over time. The Patent Writing Training Program helps users of the patent system develop practical skills for drafting and filing patent applications. Under current law, if a patent application is pending for more than three years, the patent term may be extended to give the applicant seventeen years to enjoy the patent.
