Sunday, September 29, 2019

U.S. Trademark Attorney Advice for Chinese Companies to Get U.S. Trademarks

By: Michael Foycik
Sept.30, 2019
The author is a trademark attorney in Washington DC who helps Chinese companies register their trademarks in the US. The author has over 28 years experience in trademarks, trademark applications, and trademark appeals. For further information, please email at mjfoycik@gmail.com, or call at 877-654-3336.

The following is advice from a US attorney, in the field of US Trademark law. From my work assisting companies in China with their US trademark applications, I have the following advice. This may help your company save time, effort, and money.

The main problem is when filing the wrong specimens of use, which can become costly and delay the trademark application. Correct specimens of use are required in US Trademark applications. They are required at the time of initial filing for “actual use” applications, and they are required after allowance in “intent-to-use” applications. The specimen of use should show the trademark attached to the products, or on boxes/packages that contain the products; or on a web site showing the trademark in an actual business. If a web site, ideally there will be an order page.

The description of the goods and services should be specific, as far as possible. It can start with a generic term, followed by one or more specific terms. An example is: “Exercise classes, specifically in the field of stretching and yoga.” The trademark examiner can then more easily accept the description, or alternatively suggest an acceptable version of the description, speeding up the trademark process.

Read more >> http://internationalpatentservice.com/US-Trademark-Attorney-Advice-For-Chinese-Companies-To-Get-US-Trademarks.html

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Patents, trademarks display UMMC’s innovation

By: Karen Bascom

At the end of the last fiscal year, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued the University of Mississippi Medical Center two patents and a trademark. Combined with record numbers of intellectual property applications and disclosures, these inventions represent the diversity of approaches our faculty take to advancing science and health care. 

The Bench

About one in ten people in the U.S. have some form of chronic kidney disease, which kills about 50,000 Americans yearly.

“Currently, there are no effective treatments to reverse the course of chronic kidney disease,” said Dr. Alejandro Chade, professor of physiology and biophysics.

Chade is the co-inventor of a patent that covers the use of an elastin-like polypeptide, or ELP, to deliver drugs to the kidney. This patents also covers the use of a protein that promotes blood vessel growth in order to slow the progression of kidney disease. Chade, who studies vascular diseases, worked with co-inventor Dr. Gene Bidwell, associate professor of neurology, to create the drug delivery system.

Read more >> https://www.umc.edu/news/News_Articles/2019/09/Patents-and-Trademarks.html

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

U.S. TRADEMARK ATTORNEY CHECKLIST FOR CHINESE COMPANIES TO GET U.S. TRADEMARKS

By: Michael Foycik
Sept.25, 2019
The author is a trademark attorney in Washington DC who helps Chinese companies register their trademarks in the US. The author has over 28 years experience in trademarks, trademark applications, and trademark appeals. For further information, please email at mjfoycik@gmail.com, or call at 877-654-3336.

The following is advice from a US attorney, in the field of US Trademark law, who has helped Chinese companies get registered US Trademarks. This is a short list of the main things to do to file a U.S. Trademark application to obtain a U.S. Trademark.

> You must have a U.S. Attorney licensed in the U.S., as of August 3, 2019. If you need assistance with this, please inquire using the contact information below.
> Ask your U.S. Attorney to perform a search of the existing trademarks, to see if there are any conflicting trademarks. An informal search is done online, at little or no cost. A formal search can be better, but will cost more.
> Provide a specimen of use, such as a label showing the trademark, or a page on a web site showing ordering information along with the trademark.

Read more >> http://internationalpatentservice.com/US-Trademark-Attorney-Checklist-For-Chinese-Companies-To-Get-US-Trademarks.html

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Hello? Indigenous Maori have words with Air New Zealand over trademark of phrase

By: Rina Chandran

BANGKOK - It's a friendly greeting heard everywhere in New Zealand, but charges of cultural appropriation have pitted Kiwis with indigenous Maori heritage against the national airline, after it sought to trademark a logo with the words "kia ora".

Air New Zealand said the logo with the phrase - which means "good health" and is used commonly to mean "hello" - is also the name of its in-flight magazine.

But a spokesman for the New Zealand Maori Council said the community was "tired" of businesses using their culture and language, and threatened a boycott of the airline.

"Maori is ours. You don't get to culturally misappropriate it for profit; you certainly don't get to trademark it," Matthew Tukaki, an executive member of the council, said in a video posted online this week.

He added that it was especially insensitive as this is Maori Language Week.

Air New Zealand said it was "standard corporate practice" to trademark all its corporate logos, and that its application only referred to the logo of its in-flight magazine Kia Ora, which it has published since 2007.

Read more >> https://www.indigenouspeoples-sdg.org/index.php/english/all-global-news/1162-hello-indigenous-maori-have-words-with-air-new-zealand-over-trademark-of-phrase

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Startup Business: A Checklist

By: Michael J Foycik Jr.
Sept.20, 2019
The author is a patent attorney with over 28 years experience in patents and trademarks. For further information, please email at IP1lwyr@gmail.com, or call at 877-654-3336.

Starting a new business is exciting!  Here's a checklist you'll want to consider.
Trademark application or registered trademark.  Everyone needs this.
Pending patent application of any type: design, utility, or provisional (PPA).
Funding, which can include crowd funding services like Kickstarter or Indiegogo.
Copyright rights.  This includes your web site and promotional materials.
Publicity, if using crowd funding sites or if needed to attract investors.
Costs can be fairly low.  Some informal rights are permitted, and every startup is different.  Contact me with any questions at the email address below. 

Read more >> http://internationalpatentservice.com/Startup-Business.html

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

For Startups to Succeed, We Need STRONG Patents

By: Eb Bright

The Associated Press recently reported that despite the United States experiencing the longest economic expansion on record, new business formation has failed to return to the levels seen prior to the Great Recession of 2007-2009. What is behind this extended startup slump? Most reports cite regulatory hurdles and difficulty finding qualified workers. But there is another cause that has received far too little attention – the recent weakening of patent protections for America’s entrepreneurs.

As the President of ExploraMed, a Silicon Valley-based medical device incubator that identifies, creates and develops solutions for unmet health needs, I have seen firsthand the importance of patents to startups. For companies like the ones we have launched at ExploraMed and thousands like them, patents are the currency that drives venture investment. They incentivize risky research and development. They help attract top research and executive talent. And they facilitate the transfer of knowledge between university researchers and manufacturing companies.

If you are going to disrupt a marketplace, create an entirely new product category or leapfrog an existing technology platform, you need patent protection that is reliable and predictable. Unfortunately, we no longer have that in the United States. Through a series of court cases and harmful congressional actions, the patent system in the United States has been significantly degraded over the past decade.

Read more >> https://morningconsult.com/opinions/for-startups-to-succeed-we-need-strong-patents/

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Some Indiegogo Success Tips

By: Michael J Foycik Jr.
Sept.16, 2019
The author is a patent attorney with over 28 years experience in patents and trademarks. For further information, please email at IP1lwyr@gmail.com, or call at 877-654-3336.

If you're planning an Indiegogo campaign or other enterprise funding site, then these tips may help.

Have IP protection. What's that? It is intellectual property. It is not necessary to have an issued patent, but for success raising capital it is important to have at least patent pending protection. Trademark protection can help too. Don't neglect copyright protection and trade secret protection, if those are appropriate for your enterprise.

Get publicity. Use an inexpensive service that does e-press releases. Such a service can even help you write the press releases, for a small additional fee. And, try giving interviews to journals and magazines that might review your product or service.

Line up your tech resources ahead of time, to list on the site. These services would include affordable software technical services. Your product will need technical support services, so it may be a good idea to list such a company on your site. Other software services are important, as you're well aware already: sales support software, inventory management software, and employee management software, among others.

Read more >> http://internationalpatentservice.com/Some-Indiegogo-Success-Tips.html

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Wired world: Missouri-based startup pioneers’ software technology keeps other businesses growing and innovating

By: David Baugher

Technology is everywhere, and it often seems as though every entrepreneur wants to incorporate the latest gadget, platform or app into their operations. But finding the best ways to employ all of this modern-day wizardry to benefit their own operations remains a tricky challenge for many startups.

A lot of companies offer solutions, but which ones are really bending the tech curve and providing a true revolution in the way enterprises manage the daily grind?

Consider these examples of industry pioneers right in our own backyard. The Show-Me-State has proven to be fertile ground for entrepreneurs with simple ideas and big dreams about how to use technology in new, innovative ways. These Missouri companies are using advancements in software technology to revolutionize the thinking on how establishments negotiate the workday.

From collecting employee feedback to finding out customer preferences to smoothing patent applications with big data, these are the folks finding disruptive or unique ways to make the wired world work for businesses, here and beyond.

Read more >> https://startup-mo.com/wired-world-missouri-based-startup-pioneers-software-technology-keeps-other-businesses-growing-and-innovating/

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Unpatentable - No Problem! Tips To Protect Your Idea Anyway

By: Michael J Foycik Jr.
Sept 11, 2019
The author is a patent attorney with over 28 years experience in patents and trademarks. For further information, please email at IP1lwyr@gmail.com, or call at 877-654-3336.

So your new idea might not be patentable. Don't let that stop you! Here's some tips on what to do when your invention is not patentable.

Tip one: mark everything “confidential” and protect it under trade secret law.

Tip two: anything can be a trade secret. It just depends on the person seeing it. If it's new to them, and it's marked confidential, then it's a trade secret.

Tip three: a trade secret is probably better than a patent when it comes to those you have direct contact with. This is helpful if the idea is misappropriated by a retailer, distributor, developer, investor, and anyone else who sees the idea through you.

Tip four: file a provisional patent application (“PPA”). It documents your trade secret, the date of filing, and the ownership. As a government record, it is evidence. Few things could be as good.

Tip five: mark your materials with a copyright symbol. It triggers at least some degree of copyright protection in many cases. This is done by use of the copyright symbol followed by the date and owner. Here's a made-up example: © 2014 ZYX Corp.

Read more >> http://internationalpatentservice.com/Unpatentable-No-Problem-Tips-To-Protect-Your-Idea-Anyway.html

Sunday, September 8, 2019

What Are Trademarks, Copyrights, and Patents?

By: Deborah Sweeney

It’s not uncommon for entrepreneurs to accidentally mistake trademarks and copyrights as having the same function. Even patents sometimes get lumped in the same category.  

Trademarks, copyrights, and patents are all registered with the federal government to help protect intellectual property. However, these protections aren’t interchangeable. It’s important to have a clear understanding of how each works and how registering for the proper one equips your business for success.

Trademarks

What is a trademark?

Trademarks tend to be confused as being the same thing as copyrights. However, this is not true. Trademarks protect media that distinguishes a business and its visibility to the world. For example, the following may file as a trademark:

> Names
> Phrases and/or taglines
> Symbols
> Designs
> Logos
> Brand mascots

What happens if you do not register these trademarks? Your unique media becomes at risk of plagiarism by outside sources. If you do not claim exclusive rights through trademark registration, competitors may claim and trademark your ideas as their own.

Read more >> https://blog.mycorporation.com/2019/09/trademarks-copyrights-patents/

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Quick And Easy Steps To Get Your Patent Application On File

By: Michael J Foycik Jr.
Sept.6, 2019
The author is a patent attorney with over 28 years experience in patents and trademarks. For further information, please email at IP1lwyr@gmail.com, or call at 877-654-3336.

Need a patent application on file in a hurry? This happens, for example, if you have a trade show coming up, or want to show your idea/invention to anyone.

First, write some things down: what it is called; what it does; how it works; and what it is made of. This part can be short or long, as you prefer. It is a great start either way!

Second, make simple sketches of what your idea/invention looks like. Show the parts, too. It's good to have several views, such as top, front, and side views.

Third, get an official patent office cover sheet for a provisional patent application online at www.uspto.gov, at the forms page. It's easy to find.

Fourth, check out the micro entity form and instructions. If you qualify (most do), you are entitled to much lower government fees, and fill out the micro entity form.

Fifth, put the information from the above first and second steps into the form of a standard specification with headings. This is easy to find at the www.uspto.gov site.

Sixth, file online or by Express Mail. The above-noted official patent office site has easy instructions for this.

Read more >> http://internationalpatentservice.com/Quick-And-Easy-Steps-To-Get-Your-Patent-Application-On-File.html

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

How to Go About Naming a Startup and Ensure its Success

By: Arsalan Sajid

A great startup name sets you up for success. Think about the most successful startups — Uber, Robinhood, Outdoor Voices. All of these companies have strong, fortified business names that stick in your head. This is what you must strive for when naming a startup. To grab the attention that your startup requires, you must come up with a strong and unique name. A strong name is a great way to capture attention and stick in people’s heads.

In this article, we’ll walk you through a step-by-step process for coming up with the perfect startup name.

Setting the Stage for a Naming a Startup

Before you begin to brainstorm startup names, consider these important aspects.

Outline your brand

Before you start developing a long list of startup names, make sure you have all your ideas in one place. Start with a document that will be a point of reference throughout your startup naming process. This document will contain the key components of your brand that make you unique.

Do ensure to include information such as what your business does, your values, and what benefits you provide to your customers. Inspire passion in your audience. It also helps to consider what kind of names you like. Jot down existing startup brand names or existing brand name ideas that catch your attention. Note what you like about these names and keep it in mind when coming up with your own ideas.

Read more >> https://www.cloudways.com/blog/best-tips-for-naming-a-startup/

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Google Secrets No More - What Recent Google Patents Tell Us About SEO, Ads, and More

By: Michael J Foycik Jr.
Sept. 2, 2019
The author is a patent attorney with over 28 years experience in patents and trademarks. For further information, please email at IP1lwyr@gmail.com, or call at 877-654-3336.

There are interesting features in several recently issued Google patents.  There are interesting insights, possibly secrets revealed, and opportunities too.  Let's have a quick look.
A favorite of this author is Patent Number 8,589,391, which relates to a method for generating web site ratings for a user.  This seems to be very useful.  You can look this patent up online by searching “google patents advanced search” which brings up an option to search by patent number.  I do recommend this, since there is an option to download the patent as a pdf file; this applies to the following patents as well.

And, something functional: Patent Number 8,589,387, for an Information Extractor from a Database, also assigned to Google.  Here's an opportunity – if this is so important, other firms may well be able to develop improved/different methods for doing this which may well be of interest to search engine companies like Google. 

More insights into the Google field of interest: Patent Number 8,589,399, for identifying terms of interest to an entity.  This has obvious interest to marketers, but may have broader implications.  And, there could be secrets revealed therein.  Worth a look!

More opportunities for programmers and marketers may be in Patent Number 8,549,032, also to Google, for determining proximity to topics of advertisements.  If this is still of importance now, other methods could well be of importance too.  There seems to be room for growth in this field. 

Read more >> http://internationalpatentservice.com/Google-Secrets-No-More.html