Federal Statutes provide for patent protection for the new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter or any new and useful improvement of such an item. There are three types of patents including Utility, Design and Plant. The United States Department of Commerce administers patent laws.
Patents describe the boundaries of inventions as deeds describe the boundaries of real property.
A patent empowers the patent owner to stop others from the use of the protected invention. However, there are no rights created until a patent is issued by the Department of Commerce. Actions prior to the filing of a patent application and while an application is pending may result in a serious loss or total loss of property rights. The filing of the U.S. Patent Application is a critical step in achieving protection for the invention. First, the ability to obtain Foreign Patent Protection may be lost if any public or business use is made of the invention prior to the filing of a U.S. Patent Application.