Source: http://www.e-patent-law.com/q-a/
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 14:22:46+00:00

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l. What do the terms “patent pending” and “patent applied for” mean?
They are used by a manufacturer or seller of an article to inform the public that an application for patent on that article is on file in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The law imposes a fine on those who use these terms falsely to deceive the public.
2. Is there any danger that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will give others information contained in my application while it is pending?
Most patent applications filed on or after November 29, 2000 will be published eighteen months after the filing date of the application, or any earlier filing date relied upon under title 35, United States Code. Otherwise, all patent applications are maintained in the strictest confidence until the patent is issued or the application is published. After the application has been published, however, a member of the public may request a copy of the application file. After the patent is issued, the Office file containing the application and all correspondence leading up to issuance of the patent is made available in the Files Information Unit for inspection by anyone and copies of these files may be purchased from the Office.
3. If two or more persons work together to make an invention, to whom will the patent be granted?
4. If a first person furnishes all of the ideas to make an invention and a second person employs the first person or furnishes the money for building and testing the invention, should the patent application be filed by the first and second persons jointly?
No. The application must be signed by the true inventor, and filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, in the inventor’s name. This is the person who furnishes the ideas (e.g. the first person in the above fact pattern), not the employer or the person who furnishes the money.
5. Are there any organizations in my area that can tell me how and where I may be able to obtain assistance in developing and marketing my invention?
Yes. In your own or neighboring communities you may inquire of such organizations as chambers of commerce, and banks. Many communities have locally financed industrial development organizations which can help you locate manufacturers and individuals who might be interested in promoting your idea.
6. Are there any state government agencies that can help me in developing and marketing of my invention?
Is it advisable to conduct a search of the Office records before filing an application?
A common law search involves searching records other than the federal register and pending application records. It may involve checking phone directories, yellow pages, industrial directories, state trademark registers, among others, in an effort to determine if a particular mark is used by others when they have not filed for a federal trademark registration. A common law search is not necessary but some find it beneficial.
In searching the trademark database on the Web there are records that appear to be a registrations but the registration numbers are shown as 0000000. Is this an error?
No, this is not an error. The registration number 0000000 is associated with PTO records that have serial numbers that begin with “89-“. The prefix “89-” is assigned to material that the PTO is obligated to protect either by law or treaty. However, since this material is not actually registered under the Trademark Act, it is not issued a registration number.
There are two types of material that are assigned “89-” serial numbers. One type is material that is used by U.S. federal agencies that should not be registered as trademarks unless the agencies themselves are filing the trademark applications. The second type is material we are obligated to protect under various international treaties. The entities holding this material may be international organizations or foreign governments. These filings are not assigned registration numbers because the “89-” materials are not “registered”; they are only deposited in the PTO for reference and informational purposes. During the PTO examination of pending applications, the “89-” material will be referenced as a bar to the registration of a mark undergoing examination if it is determined that the mark in the application creates a false association with entity holding the “89-” material [15 U.S.C. 1052(a)] or if the “89-” material is the official flag, coat of arms or other insignia of a country or other political entity [15 U.S.C. 1052(b)].
Patents protect inventions and improvements to existing inventions. Copyrights cover literary, artistic, and musical works. Trademarks are brand names and/or designs which are applied to products or used in connection with services.
The Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) does not handle the registration of copyrights. Register with The Copyright Office, which is part of the Library of Congress.
A registration may be applied for by filing a properly executed application with the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO).
Specimens are required in applications based on actual use in commerce, Section 1(a), 15 U.S.C. §1051(a), and must be filed with the Amendment to Allege Use, 15 U.S.C. §1051(c), or the Statement of Use, 15 U.S.C. §1051(d), in applications based on a bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce, Section 1(b), 15 U.S.C. §1051(b). Specimens are not required for applications based on Section 44 of the Trademark Act (for owners of foreign trademark applications and registrations), 15 U.S.C. §1126.
The “drawing” is a page which depicts the mark applicant seeks to register. In an application based on actual use, Section 1(a), 15 U.S.C. §1051(a), the drawing must show the mark as it is actually used, i.e., as shown by the specimens. In the case of an application based on a bona fide intention to use, Section 1(b), 15 U.S.C. §1051(b), the drawing must show the mark as the applicant intends to use it. In an application based on a foreign application or foreign registration, Sections 44(d) or 44(e), 15 U.S.C. §§1126(d) and (e), the drawing must depict the mark as it appears or will appear on the foreign registration. The applicant cannot register more than one mark in a single application. Therefore, the drawing must display only one mark.
If an applicant submits specimens, is a drawing still required?
Yes. A drawing is required in all applications, and is used by the Office for several purposes, including printing the mark in the Official Gazette, and ultimately, on the registration certificate itself. Specimens, on the other hand, are required as evidence that a mark is in actual use in commerce.
No, but an applicant is responsible for observing and complying with all substantive and procedural issues and requirements whether or not represented by an attorney.
4. Ownership of a foreign registration (with a certified copy).
9. matter that, as a whole, is functional. .
It is difficult to predict how long it will take for an application to mature into a registration, because there are so many factors that can affect the process.
Generally, an applicant will receive a filing receipt approximately six months after filing. The filing receipt will include the serial number of the application. All future correspondence with the PTO must include this serial number. You should receive a response from the Office within six to seven months from filing the application. However, the total time for an application to be processed may be anywhere from almost a year to several years, depending on the basis for filing, and the legal issues which may arise in the examination of the application.
sharpening stones and grindstones (hand tools) (Cl. 08).
metals in foil and powder form for painters, decorators, printers and artists (Cl. 02).
electrically heated clothing (Cl. 09).
parts of motors and engines (of all kinds) (Cl. 07).
apparatus for the recording, transmission, amplification and reproduction of sound (Cl. 09).
Paper, cardboard and goods made from these materials, not included in other classes; printed matter; bookbinding material; photographs; stationery; adhesives for stationery or household purposes; artists’ materials; paint brushes; typewriters and office requisites (except furniture); instructional and teaching material (except apparatus); plastic materials for packaging (not included in other classes); playing cards; printers’ type; printing blocks.
hand tools for artists (for example: spatulas, sculptors’ chisels) (Cl. 08).
This class includes mainly dressmakers’ articles.
certain smokers’ articles in precious metal (Cl. 14) (consult the Alphabetical List of Goods).
This class contains all services which could not be placed in other classes.
services (not included in other classes) rendered by associations to their own members.
performances of singers or dancers in orchestras or operas (Cl. 41).
There are several ways to dispute use of your trademark by a third party. Depending on the factual situation, the Trademark Office may or may not be the proper forum. You should consider contacting an attorney, preferably one specializing in trademark law. Local bar associations and the yellow pages usually have attorney listings broken down by specialties. Time can be of the essence.
A Patent and Trademark Depository Library (PTDL) is a library which is designated by the US Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) to receive and house copies of US patents and patent and trademark materials, to make them available to the public, and to disseminate both patent and trademark information. To be designated, a library must meet specific requirements and promise to fulfill certain obligations.
Patents and trademarks (word marks only) may be searched at the PTDLs. Please note that the Patent and Trademark Depository Librarians cannot give any legal advice nor can they perform the searches for you. They will, however, provide you with the information you need to get started.
It depends on how it is used. A band name may function as a service mark for entertainment services in the nature of performances by a musical group if it is used to identify and distinguish the service of providing live performances, or as a trademark for a series of musical recordings.
This depends upon state law. If the person can validly enter into binding legal obligations in the state, then that person may sign a trademark application. Otherwise, a parent or legal guardian must sign the application, clearly setting forth their status as a parent or legal guardian of the applicant.
My spouse owned a trademark registration and has since died. Do I own it now?
Perhaps. Because this depends on state law.
Your work is under copyright protection the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible form so that it is perceptible either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.
I lost my certificate: Can I get a new one?
Does the Copyright Office have a list of songs or movies in the public domain?
No, a search of their records, however, may reveal whether a particular work has fallen into the public domain. They the Copyright Office will conduct a search by the title of a work, an author’s name, or a claimant’s name. The search fee is $65 per hour. You may also retain an attorney.
Copies of all works under copyright protection that have been published in the United States are required to be deposited with the Copyright Office within three months of the date of first publication.
Do I have to register with the Copyright Office to be protected?
from the moment the work is created. You will have to register, however, if you wish to bring a lawsuit for infringement of a U.S. work.
Registration is recommended for a number of reasons. Many choose to register their works because they wish to have the facts of their copyright on the public record and have a certificate of registration. Registered works may be eligible for statutory damages and attorney’s fees in successful litigation. Finally, if registration occurs within five years of publication, it is considered prima facie evidence in a court of law.
To register a work, you need to submit a completed application form, a non-refundable filing fee of $30, and a non-returnable copy or copies of the work to be registered.
The time the Copyright Office requires to process an application varies, depending on the amount of material the Office is receiving. If your application is in order, you may generally expect to receive a certificate of registration within approximately 4 to 5 months of submission.
The 2002 filing fee is $30 per application. Generally, each work requires a separate application.
Yes, you must send the required copy or copies of the work to be registered. These copies will not be returned. Upon their deposit in the Copyright Office, under sections 407 and 408 of the Copyright law, all copies, phone records, and identifying material, including those deposited in connection with claims that have been refused registration, are the property of the United States Government.
You may register unpublished works as a collection on one application with one title for the entire collection if certain conditions are met. It is not necessary to list the individual titles in your collection, although you may do so by completing a Continuation Sheet. Published works may only be registered as a collection if they were actually first published as a collection and if other requirements have been met.
These forms are for registering two different types of copyrightable subject matter that may be embodied in a recording. Form PA is used for the registration of music and/or lyrics (as well as other works of the performing arts), even if your song is on a cassette. Form SR is used for registering the performance and production of a particular recording of sounds.
No, the Copyright Office generally requires a printed copy or audio recording of the work for deposit.
Yes, you may. The deposit requirement consists of the best edition of the CD-ROM package of any work, including the accompanying operating software, instruction manual and a printed version, if included in the package.
Does copyright now protect architecture?
Yes. Architectural works became subject to copyright protection on December 1, 1990. The copyright law defines “architectural work” as “the design of a building embodied in any tangible medium of expression, including a building, architectural plans, or drawings.” Copyright protection extends to any architectural work created on or after December 1, 1990, and any architectural work that on December 1, 1990, was unconstructed and embodied in unpublished plans or drawings. Architectural works embodied in buildings constructed prior to December 1, 1990, are not eligible for copyright protection.
You can register copyright in the diary only if you are the transferee (by will, by inheritance). Copyright is the right of the author of the work or the author’s heirs or assignees, not of the one who only owns or possesses the physical work itself.
Any work that is protected by U.S. copyright law can be registered. This includes many works of foreign origin. All works that are unpublished, regardless of the nationality of the author, are protected in the United States. Works that are first published in the United States or in a country with which we have a copyright treaty or that are created by a citizen or domiciliary of a country with which we have a copyright treaty are also protected and may therefore be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office.
employer or commissioning party is considered to be the author.
Although the general rule is that the person who creates the work is its author, there is an exception to that principle; the exception is a work made for hire, which is a work prepared by an employee within the scope of his or her employment; or a work specially ordered or commissioned in certain specified circumstances. When a work qualifies as a work made for hire, the employer or commissioning party is considered to be the author.
Minors may claim copyright, and the Copyright Office does issue registrations to minors, but state laws may regulate the business dealings involving copyrights owned by minors. For information on relevant state laws, consult an attorney.
There is no legal requirement that the author be identified by his or her real name on the application form.
Publication has a technical meaning in copyright law. According to the statute, “Publication is the distribution of copies or phone records of a work to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending. The offering to distribute copies or phone records to a group of persons for purposes of further distribution, public performance, or public display constitutes publication. A public performance or display of a work does not of itself constitute publication.” Generally, publication occurs on the date on which copies of the work are first made available to the public.
Publication occurs at the discretion and initiative of the copyright owner. The Copyright Office has no role in the publication process.
No. Names are not protected by copyright law. Some names may be protected under trademark law.
Copyright does not protect names, titles, slogans, or short phrases. In some cases, these things may be protected as trademarks. However, copyright protection may be available for logo art work that contains sufficient authorship. In some circumstances, an artistic logo may also be protected as a trademark.
* For pre-1978 works still in their original or renewal term of copyright, the total term is extended to 95 years from the date that copyright was originally secured.
Under the fair use doctrine of the U.S. copyright statute, it is permissible to use limited portions of a work including quotes, for purposes such as commentary, criticism, news reporting, and scholarly reports. There are no legal rules permitting the use of a specific number of words, a certain number of musical notes, or percentages of a work. Whether a particular use qualifies as fair use depends on all the circumstances.
You may make a new claim in your work if the changes are substantial and creative — something more than just editorial changes or minor changes. This would qualify as a new derivative work. For instance, simply making spelling corrections throughout a work does not warrant a new registration — adding an additional chapter would.
Only the owner of copyright in a work has the right to prepare, or to authorize someone else to create a new version of that work. Accordingly, you cannot claim copyright to another’s work, no matter how much you change it, unless you have the owner’s consent.
How do I get my work into the Library of Congress?
Copies of works deposited for copyright registration or in fulfillment of the mandatory deposit requirement are available to the Library of Congress for its collections. The Library reserves the right to select or reject any published work for its permanent collections based on the research needs of Congress, the nation’s scholars, and of the nation’s libraries.
The Library of Congress Card Catalog Number is assigned by the Library at its discretion to assist librarians in acquiring and cataloging works.
The International Standard Book Number is administered by the R. R. Bowker Company 1-888-BOWKER2. The ISBN is a numerical identifier intended to assist the international community in identifying and ordering certain publications.
A copyright notice is an identifier placed on copies of the work to inform the world of copyright ownership. While use of a copyright notice was once required as a condition of copyright protection, it is now optional. Use of the notice is the responsibility of the copyright owner and does not require advance permission from, or registration with, the Copyright Office.
The collection of royalties is usually a matter of private arrangements between an author and publisher or other users of the author’s work. The Copyright Office plays no role in the execution of contractual terms or business practices. There are copyright licensing organizations and publications rights clearinghouses that distribute royalties for their members.
A party may seek to protect his or her copyrights against unauthorized use by filing a civil lawsuit in Federal district court. In cases of willful infringement for profit, the U.S. Attorney may initiate a criminal investigation.
The United States has copyright relations with more than 100 countries throughout the world, and as a result of these agreements, we honor each other’s citizens’ copyrights. However, the United States does not have such copyright relationships with every country.
Copyright law does not protect sightings. However, copyright law will protect your photo (or other depiction) of your sighting of Elvis. Just file it in on a form VA application and the $30 filing fee, in 2002. No one can lawfully use your photo of your sighting, although someone else may file his own photo of his sighting. Copyright law protects the original photograph, not the subject of the photograph.
You can ask for it. If you know who the copyright owner is, you may contact the owner directly. If you are not certain about the ownership or have other related questions, you may wish to request that the Copyright Office conduct a search of its records for a fee of $65 per hour, in 2002.
Yes, if you use a copyrighted work without authorization, the owner may be entitled to bring an infringement action against you. There are circumstances under the fair use doctrine where a quote or a sample may be used without permission.
After U.S. Patent and Trademark Office web site.

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