Patent Services in Elizabethtown, NC

Patent Services in Elizabethtown, NC

How do I protect an invention in Elizabethtown, NC?

Inventions can be protected by patents. Patents are a form of intellectual property right that give a patent owner the exclusive right to make, use, or sell an invention for a specific period of time. A patent owner has the right to sue someone for patent infringement who is making, using, or selling their invention without their. In order to obtain a patent in the United States, you must file a patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office (USPTO), disclosing enough information about your invention to satisfy the USPTO that your invention has some useful purpose, is novel, and is not obvious to ordinarily-skilled people in your field. U.S. patents can last for up to 20 years, after which your intellectual property rights expire, but unlike with trade secrets, Elizabethtown, NC patent owners do not have to maintain the confidentiality of their invention.

How do I protect an invention in Elizabethtown, NC?

Intellectual Property Law Services in Elizabethtown, NC

Protect your Elizabethtown Intellectual Property!

What if someone posted my photo and removed my Elizabethtown copyright information?

What if someone posted my photo and removed my Elizabethtown copyright information?

“Copyright Management Information” (or CMI) includes the identifying information about a work’s copyright owner, among other things. Digital Millennium Copyright Act created a separate prohibition from knowingly removing or altering Copyright Management Information. If someone has knowingly removed your watermark, the title of the artwork, the year it was created, your name, or certain other identifying information from your photo before posting it to social media, you may have a cause of action against that person. The key is that the other person must have known, or had reason to know, that their actions would induce, enable, facilitate, or conceal an infringement. The attorneys at Axenfeld Law can assess your options and determine the best course of conduct to enforce your rights.

Patent Services in Elizabethtown, NC

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Types of Trademarks

An attorney at Axenfeld Law Group can assess your potential Elizabethtown NC intellectual property and recommend seeking protection over one or more types of trademarks. This includes trademarks for words, designs, sounds, as well as the unique packaging (known as trade dress) for your product. A word mark is a trademark consisting of a word or phrase that identifies a product or service. This type of trademark can be either a standard character mark, which covers any use of the word in any font, or a stylized mark, which has a specific design element. A design mark is a trademark that consists of a unique graphic design, logo, or symbol that represents a product or service. A sound mark is a trademark that consists of a unique audio element, such as a jingle, tune, or sound effect, used to identify a product or service. Sound marks must be original and capable of being represented graphically. Trade dress is the overall look and feel of a product or packaging, and it can be protected as a trademark if it's distinctive and non-functional. An attorney at Axenfeld Law Group will guide the client in choosing the best type for their business.

Types of Trademarks in Elizabethtown, NC
Trademark Search Services in Elizabethtown, NC

Trademark Search Services in Elizabethtown, NC

Trademark search services are an essential step in the trademark registration process, helping individuals and companies determine if their desired trademark is available for use and registration. A thorough trademark search can reveal any conflicting trademarks that could potentially prevent the registration of a new trademark. Axenfeld Law Group’s trademark search services include a review of existing trademarks in databases, as well as a search of common law usage, company names, and domain names. Based on your needs, we will research the relevant market for your goods/services, and are able to perform an international search as well. Utilizing Axenfeld Law Group’s trademark search service may avoid costly legal battles and disputes over trademark infringement. Axenfeld Law Group recommends all individuals and businesses conduct a comprehensive trademark search before applying for trademark registration to ensure the desired mark is available and to avoid wasting time and resources on an application that may be rejected or opposed.