It can be commercially advantageous to secure a patent in order to allow you or your business to control how and when an invention is used. A patent owner has the right to stop others from making, using, importing, or selling their patented invention without permission, and a patent can remain in force for up to 20 years. A patent owner can also license others to use the invention, thereby generating royalties which can provide an important source of revenue.

Patents secure an inventor's property rights in three types of innovation: (1) utility patents for a new and useful machine, article of manufacture, composition of matter, or process; (2) design patents for new and original ornamental designs for articles of manufacture; and (3)plant patents for new and distinct plant varieties that are asexually reproduced.

In order for an invention to be patentable, it must be new. Under U.S. patent law, for example, an invention is not new if the invention has been known or described in a printed publication anywhere prior to the invention, or in public use or sale in the United States more than one year prior to the application for a patent. The invention must also be nonobvious to a person having ordinary skill in the area of technology pertaining to the invention. Patents can also be obtained in foreign countries by filing an application in that country or under the terms of a international convention to which that country prescribes, such as the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

Once a patent is obtained, it must be maintained by paying fees at prescribed times after the patent issues which, for a U.S. utility patent, are due at three and a half, seven and a half, and eleven and a half years from the date the patent is granted. Maintenance fees are typically also required for patents granted in foreign countries and under international conventions.

Symbus can assist you in all aspects of your patent portfolio, anywhere in the world, including preparing and filing patent applications, tracking and supporting patent applications during patent prosecution (the patent office review process), licensing, valuation, and post-issuance procedures such as patent oppositions and reexaminations, as well as maintaining a portfolio of your company's patents and patent applications. We can also docket your patents for maintenance fees and pay them automatically or send reminders at the proper time, based on your preference. Furthermore, Symbus can provide a client with ready access to such information, 24/7, in one convenient location.

There are strict rules that determine what can and can't be patented, and a patent may not always be the best way for you to protect an invention. Where a patent may not be appropriate, cost effective or applicable, there may be other options to protect intellectual property, and Symbus can assist you in determining which types of protection are best suited to your particular business interests and requirements.