Burlington Patent Attorneys & Lawyers

Key Takeaways

• Patent costs vary widely based on the type of patent, complexity of the invention, and legal fees.
• A provisional patent is a lower-cost, temporary option that provides protection for 12 months.
• A utility patent is the most expensive but provides long-term intellectual property protection.
• Design patents protect only the appearance of an invention and are generally cheaper than utility patents.
• International patent applications significantly increase costs due to translation fees, government filing fees, and attorney fees in multiple jurisdictions.
• Patent maintenance fees are required at 3.5, 7.5, and 11.5 years to keep the patent valid.
• The cost of responding to USPTO office actions after a patent application is filed can add thousands of dollars to the total expenses.
• Hiring a patent attor

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Key Takeaways

• Proprietary rights refer to legally recognized ownership over tangible and intangible property.
• These rights include the ability to use, transfer, rent, or sell the property.
• Common forms include real property, intellectual property, and contract-specific rights.
• Proprietary rights underpin market economies, enabling secure and voluntary exchange.
• Rights may be individual (private) or collective (state, communal), with varying enforcement mechanisms.
• Contract clauses play a major role in specifying proprietary rights, particularly in business and IP contexts.
• Lack of clear proprietary rights can lead to misuse, overuse, or legal disputes.
• Legal frameworks and court systems are essential for enforcing proprietary rights.

What Are Proprietary Rights?

Proprietary rights, also known as property rights, are the theoretical or legal rights that an entity has to own property, whe

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Key Takeaways

• Filing a provisional or nonprovisional patent application grants "patent pending" status immediately upon USPTO submission.
• Provisional applications are not examined and last up to one year; nonprovisional applications undergo formal examination.
• Utility patents typically take 1–5+ years for a final decision, depending on backlog and technology type.
• Accelerated programs like Track One and the Patent Prosecution Highway can significantly reduce wait times.
• Abandoned or poorly drafted applications can delay or derail the process.
• Not all patent applications lead to granted patents; compliance with legal and technical standards is essential.

Wondering how long does it take to get a patent pending status? It occurs the moment you file a provisional patent application (PPA) or a regular patent application with the USPTO.

How Long Does Patent Pending Last: What Is the Process?

Patent pendi

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What Is a Plant Patent Search?

A plant patent search covers information about patents! granted by the government to protect ownership rights of unique and asexually reproducing plants. As you might expect, plant patents are only a fraction of the patents filed every year. For example, in 2012 there were 576,763 patent applications filed—860 were granted. Only 1,149 of those were for plants.

Before you file for a patent of any kind, it is essential to determine if any similar creations have already been patented. The same goes for the protections afforded to those who create new varieties of plants. You must determine that no one else has created a substantially similar variety of plant so that you are clear to file for your patent.

Why Is a Plant Patent Search Important?

Filing for a patent can be quite expensive, especially when one considers not only the filing fees but the rounds of revisions that m

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