Patents and Trademarks : Overview
Get Patent Help!
Steenbock Library is a USPTO Patent & Trademark Resource Center. Read about our Patents & Trademark services.
For questions or to set up an appointment, email asksteenbock@library.wisc.edu or call (608) 262-3007.
UW Law Library patents guides
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Physical Science & Engineering Team | Science & Engineering Libraries
Email: pset@library.wisc.edu
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What Is a Patent?
A patent is a grant of property right by the government to an inventor preventing others from making, using, or selling a new and useful invention for a period of 20 years from application date.
The following video explains patents and the patent process.
How are patents different from trademarks and copyrights?
The following video explains the differences between the major types of intellectual property protection.
Why search patents?
Searching patents during the design process can help you:
- Determine if your idea is novel
- Identify areas you may need to design around to avoid infringement
- Find inventors (technical experts) with whom to collaborate
- Find inventions that are free to use because of expired or unissued patents
- Monitor emerging designs in a technology area that may not be published elsewhere
- Identify key companies in a technology area who may be interested in your design.
Key Information
The most comprehensive source for U.S. patent and trademark information is the website of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office:
- Patent Process Overview
- General Information Concerning Patents
- Guide to Filing a Utility Patent Application
- Current fee schedules
- Attorneys registered to practice before the USPTO
- MPEP (Manual of Patent Examining Procedure) 8th ed. latest revision
Intellectual Property Micro-Courses
UW Libraries has developed two open access micro-courses that provide in-depth information on intellectual property:
- The Introduction to Intellectual Property micro-course covers patents, trademarks, copyright, trade secrets, and UW policies surrounding intellectual property.
- The Introduction to Patents micro-course is a detailed look at patents, including U.S. and international patent processes, the anatomy of a patent, and patent searching strategies.