introduction to us intellectual ip

8/7/2019 Introduction to US Intellectual IP

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Introduction to IntellectualProperty in the United States

Rob Cogan, Continuum Law

[email protected](858) 348-1005


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Rob Cogan, Continuum LawPage 2

Overview

What IP do you need; What to do?

Too many companies spend money on IP beforetaking cost justificationintoaccount.

Whatdoesitcost? Know your business modeland yourrevenue

model -- if you wantareturn.

Enforcing yourrights itdoesntalways meanto

haveto gotocourt.

One size does not fit all Customizeprotection to your business!


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Considerations before making

expenitures for IP protection Whatisyourobjectivein protecting IP?

Whatwillthis patent (trademark,

copyright) protect? Do NOT ask, Isitpatentable?

Patentabilityisanabstractlegalconcept. Doask, Isitcost-justifiedto fileapatent

application. Ifyoudonthavea good business model,

your IPrights maynotmatter.


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SIMPLIFIEDIPINVENTORY

Marketing Assets Technical Assets Business Assets

Company Name Patents Customer Lists

Logo Patent Applications Supplier Lists

Primary Brand Unpatented Technology Pricing Formulas

Secondary Trademarks, e.g.,

model names

Trade Secrets, e.g., formulas Business processes

Unregistered Trademarks Technology Exchange

Agreements

Mailing Lists

Registered Trademarks Technology Licensed from

Others

Training materials

Copyrights Manufacturing Methods Data Mining Search Results

Packaging Design Product Physical Specifications Distributor Network

Trade Dress Performance Specifications Sales Representative Network

Internet Domain Names Product Shapes and Sizes

Product Performance and

Failure Statistics

Software and Source Code

Drawings, Manuals

Billsof Material


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Intellectual Property Protection

Type Protects

Patentsand inventions, industrialdesigns

applications andplants

Trademarks designationsuniquetoasource Copyright expression, notinformation

Trade Secret know-how

Termsof Use software objectorsourcecode

Mask Works IC topography

Personal image, character

Vesselhulls boatdesign


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Theyprotectcommercial marketshare.

Theydemonstratecompetencetocustomers.

Patentscanproduceroyaltyincome. They giveyousomething totrade withother

patentees.

Patentportfoliosidentify majorplayersina

marketandprovide bargaining power. Patentsrecognizethe effortsand

contributionsofinventors.

lS

omeuses forpatents


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Whentoapply

Absolutenovelty isnotrequiredinthe UnitedStatesasitisin Europe.

Therighttoapply fora UnitedStatespatentisbarredoneyear (the graceperiod) aftercertain events, e.g. publication, saleor

commercialization. Anoffer forsaleorinclusioninaproposal, eveninconfidence, is

commercialization.


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Statutoryrequirements for

patentability.

Virtuallyanything can beconsideredthatisnew, usefulandnon-obvious.

The UnitedStatesdoesnotlook foraninventivestep. Itisnotnecessarytostatethattheinventionis

characterizedinthat thereisaparticularinventive feature.

Theinventionasa wholeisconsidered.


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Keepa writtenrecord

Inthe UnitedStates, the bestevidenceofyourdateofinventionisa writtenrecordthatissigned bytheinventoranda witness.

Whenyouhaveanew idea, writeitinaninventionnotebook andsignanddateitinink.


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Look atthe priorart.A Patentsearch willhelpyou:

Understandyour marketniche better.

See whatissimilaryetdistinguishable. Consider whetheryouritem isalready

patented bysomeone else.

Getnew ideas itislegaland moraltocopyunpatentedinnovations.


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Softwarepatents

Algorithmsarenotpatentable, BUT useofalgorithmstoproducea usefulresult is

statutorysubjectmatter. Difficultyofobtaining asoftwarepatenthas

increasedsomewhat, butUnitedStatesallowsgreaterlatitudethan Europe.

Usually, a flow chartoftheprocessandavery generaldiagram ofthehardwarearchitectureisadequatedisclosure.


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Provisionalpatentapplications

A provisionalpatentapplication will giveyoua patentpending date.

Thereareno formalrequirements, buta

quick anddirty job may bea falseeconomy.

Ifyouleaveoutcertaindetails, you mayhavea falsesenseofsecurity while beingunprotected.

Theapplication mustbecompletedinayear.


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Tradesecrets

Primary form ofprotection for know-how.

Can beveryvaluableandcan be easilylost

Usenon-disclosureagreements withothers. You mustshow thatyouprotectedthe

informationadequately.

Controlaccesstotheinformation.

Protectinformation withrestrictivelegends.

Can be enforcedagainst former employees.


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Receiving Proprietary Data

Ifyoudonthaveannon-disclosureagreement(NDA) yourobligationsare

broad. Ifyoureceiveproprietaryinformation,

quarantineitunlessyouhavean NDA.

Itishelpfultohaveacompanypolicyfortreatmentofproprietarydata.



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Trademarks

IntheUnitedStates, registrationisnotarequirement forprotection.

Federalregistrationis best, butisnotmandatory.

You mayplace TM onthe goodsorcontainersoronpromotionalliterature

forservices even beforeyou file forregistration.


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Copyrights

Tocreateacopyright, producethe workwiththenotice:

Copyright yearofcreation, year(s) ofrevision, [proprietorsname].

Promptregistration mayimprovetheabilityto enforcethecopyright.

Youcanregisteracopyrightwithoutdepositing proprietarylinesofcode.


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Software

NEVER EVER sendoutsoftware withoutaproperlicense.

Generally, sending objectcode(machinereadable) islessriskythansending outsourcecode (humanreadable).

Watchout for noopensource clauses. Youcanhavesmallvendorsputsource

codein escrow.


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THANK YOU!

ROB COGAN

Continuum Law10085 Carroll Canyon Road

Suite 100San Diego CA 92131-1138

(858) [email protected]

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