Patents protect your invention and innovation. They protect the Frankenstein’s Monsters of IP, if you will.
A patent gives you the right to exclude others from making, using, and selling your invention for a limited time, typically 20 years from filing. What counts as an invention may surprise you.
An invention can be all kinds of innovative things, like a non-obvious guitar effects pedal, a unique fake blood formula for special effects, an improved way of making candy, or the look of a new Halloween mask.
If you want patent rights, the scariest thing you can do is wait. Patents are generally a race to the filing line, and sometimes your application can be dead on arrival. If you publicly disclose your invention before filing your application, you can ruin your ability to get a patent.
If you do get a patent for your invention, you can sell the rights to someone else, like a larger company, more easily attract investors, or license the rights to someone else who wants to make, sell, or use the invention.
Intellectual property is one of the most terrifyingly useful tools you have. If you’re a creator or other entrepreneur ready to build a frighteningly powerful brand and business, you need to know how to use it. You don’t have to face the darkness alone, though.
I help entrepreneurs across the U.S. make smart, legally sound decisions about their intellectual property. I’m an attorney in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, but I serve intellectual property clients nationwide.
If you’d like to consult with me, please book a consultation online at kingpatentlaw.com or by calling my office at 312-596-2222 or 217-714-8558.
Please check out the other posts and pages on my website for more information on intellectual property and business law issues. I’m also on most major podcast platforms as “Know Your Rights: Your Intellectual Property and Business Law Playbook” (video on YouTube, Spotify, and Substack only) and on most social media as @kingpatentlaw.
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