INVENTING, PATENTING & LICENSING SHORT COURSE

IF YOU WORK FOR A MAJOR CORPORATION OR UNIVERSITY WITH STAFF PATENT ATTORNEYS...

Attendance at the course will provide the following benefits:

1. IMPROVED COMMUNICATION WITH PATENT COUNSEL
   • Many inventors and executives do not understand the subtleties of the patenting process and most patent attorneys cannot take the time to explain to each of them individually the nuances of patent law. This course teaches the terminology of patenting and the subtleties of the patenting process. An understanding of patents by researchers and by administrative personnel facilitates more efficient and effective communication with patent counsel.
     
     
2. MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE R & D PERSONNEL
   • The course provides the knowledge that allows the inventor to take an active role in the patent preparation process and for the executive to more fully understand the 'big picture'. With this information the inventor can critically evaluate what the patent attorney is doing and more fully understand what the patent attorney is attempting to communicate.
   • Most technical personnel are quite familiar with reading and interpreting conventional technical literature, but are not familiar with the style and format found in patents. It is important that the technical staff understand the nature of the patent literature, and be able to read it critically to determine what is actually covered by the patent and what is in the public domain. This ability allows one to legitimately "work around" existing patents and avoid infringing the patents of others.
   • By understanding the nature of patents, researchers can more fully appreciate that it is possible to arrive at a valuable, patentable invention even in an "old" area in which there are already many existing patents.
   • By understanding the concepts of "date of invention", "prior art", etc. workers can initiate the steps toward patent application in a more timely manner, and thereby avoid forfeiting the opportunity for a patent.
     
     
3. STRONGER PATENTS FOR THE COMPANY/UNIVERSITY
   • Patents should be written defensively. It is not simply a matter of obtaining a patent. One should strive to obtain a patent that is "strong" and likely to withstand a challenge in the courts. The inventor can contribute to the preparation of a set of claims with a greater likelihood of withstanding an attack if he/she recognizes the grounds that are used for challenging the validity of a patent.
   • Frequently an inventor fully appreciates the essence of his / her invention only during the claim writing process. The inventor can participate in this process more effectively if he / she understands the nature of claims and can thus help to more clearly define and refine the invention in the patent claims. This activity and participation can also stimulate the inventor to think of other variations or improvements to the invention that can be incorporated into the patent application.
     
     
4. TIME AND MONEY SAVINGS
   • Improved communications save valuable time of attorneys and R & D personnel.
   • Stronger patents minimize the chances of losing the patent if contested in the courts.

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