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Intellectual Property

What is intellectual property and how do you protect it?

Copyright the U.S. Copyright office provides “Copyright is a form of protection grounded in the U.S. Constitution and granted by law for original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression. Copyright covers both published and unpublished works. “

Patents get basics, application and info direct from U.S. Patent & Trademark office

Tradmarks utilize U.S. Patent & Tradmark office forms.

Regional office based in Houston:

USPTO – Texas Regional Office
207 S. Houston Street, Suite 159, Dallas, Texas 75202
TexasRegionalOffice@USPTO.GOV
Phone: (469) 295-9000
www.uspto.gov/texas

Texas Regional Office U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Key USPTO resources for inventors, startups and entrepreneurs

Basic information about patents and the patenting process

IP Awareness Assessment Toolwww.uspto.gov/inventors/assessment
Patent process flow chart, includes hyperlinks to USPTO guideswww.uspto.gov/patents/process/index.jsp
Patents home pagewww.uspto.gov/patents
Inventors Assistance Program resourceswww.uspto.gov/inventors
Inventors Assistance (Call) Centerwww.uspto.gov/inventors/iac
Pro Bono Program — general descriptionwww.uspto.gov/inventors/proseprobono
Pro Bono Federal Circuit Bar Association National Clearing House (not a USPTO website)www.fedcirbar.org/Pro-Bono-Scholarships/ PTO-Pro-Bono/Overview-FAQ

Details of the patenting process

Patent Search tutorial on searching as well as access to the USPTO patents databasewww.uspto.gov/patents/process/search/index.jsp
EFS-Web — filing patent applications via the webwww.uspto.gov/patents/ebc/about.jsp
Track One prioritized examination information and FAQwww.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/Track_One.jsp
American Invents Act (AIA) implementation webpagewww.uspto.gov/aia_implementation
AIA first inventor to file animated informational videoswww.uspto.gov/aia_implementation/informational_videos.jsp
Micro-entity status information (under the Fees FAQ)www.uspto.gov/aia_implementation/faqs_fees.jsp#heading-4

Foreign filing resources

Patent Cooperation Treaty helpdeskwww.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/support-centers/patent- cooperation-treaty-pct-helpdesk
Madrid Protocol informationwww.uspto.gov/trademark/laws-regulations/madrid-protocol
IP Attacheswww.uspto.gov/ip-policy/ip-attache-program/regions

USPTO initiatives (educational tools)

Demystifying the patent systemwww.uspto.gov/initiatives/expanding-innovation/ demystifying-patent-system
Inventor and entrepreneur resourceswww.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/ inventors-entrepreneurs-resources
Free legal services for inventorswww.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/newsletter/inventors-eye/free- legal-services-inventors
Pro Se assistance programwww.uspto.gov/ProSePatents
The provisional patent application: Is it for me?www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/newsletter/inventors-eye/ provisional-patent-application-it-me

Key resources on trademarks

Trademarks home pagewww.uspto.gov/trademarks
Trademark basics for new filerswww.uspto.gov/trademarks/basics
Trademark Information Network (TMIN) videoswww.uspto.gov/trademarks/process/TMIN.jsp

News, updates, and upcoming events

USPTO News/Updates subscription centerwww.uspto.gov/subscribe
Inventors Eye e-magazinewww.uspto.gov/inventors/independent
General events calendar and archivewww.uspto.gov/about-us/events