In the world we live in with record inflation and price increases, the United States Patent and Trademark Office has announced that the fees associated with certain filings for the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) have decreased effective January 1, 2023. The complete US Patent Office fee schedule can be found here. The specific fees that […]
Widerman Malek Law Blog
Patent Office Introduces AI Capability for Search
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) introduced new artificial intelligence (AI) capability for examiner searching. The bulletin regarding this announcement can be found here. In the bulletin, it is explained that the AI system can be used by examiners to assist in conducting searches for prior art during the examination process of the […]
International Patent Application Strategies
There are different standards in the United States regarding what is patentable and not compared to foreign jurisdictions, notably in the Japanese and European Patent offices. The decision to pursue foreign protection is not just about what markets you are interested in but also about the viability of getting protection in those markets. In the […]
The Patent Filing Process
If you have an excellent idea that you would like to try and make an invention out of, it’s important that you take the time to patent it before making it known to a bunch of other people. That’s because that idea is only recognized as yours if you have a legal patent for it. […]
Mistakes that Inventors Make When Attempting to Obtain a Patent
When it comes to information and legal standings some people may have a harder time than others. There is an abundance of information out there regarding the legal and personal matters of inventions and what rights inventors have when creating a new or improved creation. However, many inventors tend to make very common mistakes when […]
The Importance of the NDA
You are excited – you finally came up with an invention. You cannot wait to get your ideas out there, but before you do, you have to protect yourself. This is done with an NDA. This agreement is almost always warranted when you come up with an invention. Think of it as your protection against […]
Mark Malek Awarded 2015 Bernie Simpkins Entrepreneur of the Year Award
Widerman Malek Managing Partner, Mark Malek, was awarded the 2015 Bernie Simpkins Entrepreneur of the Year Award by Space Coast Business. The awards ceremony was held on December 1, 2015 at the Melbourne Hilton Rialto.
Do You Have a Patent Troll Giving You Trouble?
Under an old creaky bridge lives the troll and you must pass his test in order cross to the other side. Today, a troll is much more than the figurative creature in a story told to children. A troll is someone who intentionally waits for its victims to attempt to cross and then commits extortion. […]
Can I License my Invention Without a Patent?
Technically, an invention can be licensed without having patent protection, but why would anyone pay for a right that was not protected?
Why Are Patents Important?
Purpose of Patents A patent is important because it can help safeguard your invention. It can protect any product, design or process that meets certain specifications according to its originality, practicality, suitability, and utility. In most cases, a patent can protect an invention for up to 20 years. This time period starts soon as you […]
