This is the second half of my interview with John Ferrell, a longtime Silicon Valley patent attorney and angel investor, about intellectual property protection for software. (Read the first half here.) Ferrell has advised early stage technology companies including...
Software Startups: This is How You Craft a Patent Strategy
Obtaining patent protection for software is notoriously challenging. Software may have a very short shelf life. It’s difficult to describe precisely. There are issued patents that are written too broadly. In a 3-part series published in 2012, Eric Goldman goes in deep...
How to Raise Money For Your Startup Using Provisional Patent Applications
Startups are extremely busy. As a result, protecting their assets can take a backseat. I hear it firsthand all the time. “Intellectual property? Oh, our attorneys are handling that.” Huh? Leaving the responsibility of crafting an intellectual property strategy up to...
How to Write a Provisional Patent Application That Has Value
I think inventors should try writing their own provisional patent applications, even if they end up hiring a patent attorney to write the final version. Why? Because committing your thoughts to paper will help clarify your thinking about your invention. Creating...
Don’t File That Patent Yet. File A Provisional Patent Application First.
Speed to market is paramount today. Whether you are a creative person, inventor, entrepreneur, startup, medium-sized enterprise, or Fortune 500 company, there’s no doubt that filing intellectual property quickly after the conception of a new invention, innovation, or...
In Today’s Market, Do Patents Even Matter?
Sometimes. It all depends on your business objectives. In some industries, patents are absolutely critical. But in far more they are not. It’s a well-known fact that a vast majority of patents are worthless. Around 97% of all patents never recoup the cost of filing...
Inventors: Do a Patent Search Sooner Rather Than Later
When you have an idea for a new product, the first thing you should do is your homework. You need to study the market -- to ask important questions and attempt to answer them. Is this idea unique? Where is this industry headed? How much do similar products retail for?...
What to Do When Your Provisional Patent Application Is About to Expire
Because I strongly believe in the importance of testing the market, I'm a big proponent of provisional patent applications. Obtaining a non-provisional patent can easily cost upwards of $15,000. And the reality is, the vast majority of patents are worthless. Vast!...
How George Burkhardt Taught Himself How to File, Obtain, and License His Own Utility Patents
Because there are absolutely no black and whites when it comes to intellectual property, self-education is critical. Merely obtaining a patent is easy enough. If you pay a lawyer to help you, he will. Beyond that, things get trickier. The reality is, your intellectual...
A Former Patent Examiner Pulls Back the Curtain at the USPTO
The process of getting a patent can feel shrouded in mystery. I feel that way, and I've been awarded nearly 20 patents. When I started to file patents, I thought, "The patent office is against me!" They always rejected my claims. I think differently now....