Patents & Intellectual Property
Contact an Intellectual Property Law & Patent Attorney
Are you looking for a Patents and Intellectual Property Attorney in
Maryland, Virginia or the Washington DC area?
Ever since the United States became a “First-to-File” country, it has become increasingly important for inventors to formally protect their intellectual property. However, changes in rules, laws, and procedures at the USPTO have made it notably more difficult and costly to secure a patent.
Accordingly, over the years, Lev Iwashko has developed a cost-effective system of drafting and prosecuting patent applications, which involves diligence, accuracy, attention to detail, and technological artistry. More specifically, The Iwashko Law Firm approaches patent application drafting with consideration not only to overcome already-existing prior art, but also with foresight for the future based on technological and market trends.
What are the steps involved to secure a patent?
Step 1 – Consult a licensed patent attorney about your idea
Step 2 – Perform a patent search (see our patent search section for details)
Step 3 – Draft and file a patent application regarding your idea
Step 4 – Receive an Office Action from the USPTO, and respond to the Office Action (a.k.a., the patent prosecution phase)
Step 5 – After your patent application is allowed, you will be issued a patent with a registration number
What are the different types of patents for which applications may be filed?
Utility Patent – Utility patents cover machines, processes, methods, compositions and anything manufactured that has a useful and specific function. This is the most common and useful type of patent, and is typically the type an inventor seeks when seeking to protect a new idea.
Design Patent – This is a patent that protects the aesthetics of your invention, such as its ornamental design, appearance, and/or shape. For example, Apple not only has Utility Patents for its I-Phone, but also has multiple different Design Patents to secure the I-Phone’s aesthetic appearance.
Plant Patent – Although not very common, an inventor can secure a patent for a plant that is asexually reproduced, such as a non-first-generation hybrid or a mutant.
Provisional Patent Application – This is not actually a patent, but merely a 12-month placeholder to secure your priority date prior to filing a Utility Patent Application. A provisional patent application is useful if you are still in the testing phases of your idea, or if you are still finalizing small details regarding your invention.
PCT Patent Application – Similar to the Provisional Patent Application, this is not actually a patent, but a 30-month placeholder that affords an inventor extra time to file a patent application in multiple countries of the inventor’s choosing. Please keep in mind that after the PCT application is filed, the inventor will have to pay each country’s filing fees, and will also be required to undergo patent prosecution in each country.
What are some examples of the technologies covered by the Utility Patents that the patent attorneys at The Iwashko Law Firm have drafted and/or prosecuted?
- Computer hardware
- Applications (running on hardware)
- Circuit design
- Mechanical devices
- Biomedical devices
- Image forming apparatuses
- Semiconductors
- Databases
- Micro-electromechanical systems
- Communication devices/systems
- Amplifiers
- Optical devices
- Switches
