Intellectual Property Law Services in Stony Point, NC

Intellectual Property Law Services in Stony Point, NC

Five different types of Utility Patents in Stony Point, NC

A utility patent is a legal protection granted to investors for new, useful, and non-obvious inventions. There are five major types. A “process patent” is a protection granted to anyone who invents or discovers a new and useful process, which can include chemical, industrial, or technological processes. A “machine patent” protects mechanical devices or combinations of mechanical elements that work together to produce a certain effect or result. A “manufacture patent” protects the method with which a new or original product is manufactured. A “composition of matter patent” covers new and useful compositions of matter, whether they be chemical compounds or mechanical mixtures, and include gases, fluids, powders, or solids. Finally, an “improvement patent” protects the distinction between a new product and previously existing products of a similar type.

Five different types of Utility Patents in Stony Point, NC

Intellectual Property Law Services in Stony Point, NC

Protect your Stony Point Intellectual Property!

How do I protect my Stony Point, NC brand?

Brands can be protected by trademarks and trade dress. “Word marks” are a form of trademark that can protect the actual wording of a brand name, while “design marks” are trademarks that protect the stylization or graphical elements of your brand name. Additionally, trade dress can protect the design, shape, or appearance of you protect, such as a distinctive bottle or textile pattern. You can obtain a federal trademark or trade dress by registering with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). A trademark attorney can help you search existing trademarks and trade dresses to ensure your brand is unique, and then file a trademark application on your behalf. If approved, you will have the legal right to exclude anyone else from trying to mimic your brand, whether by appropriating the words or design elements of your brand.

How do I protect my Stony Point, NC  brand?
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Stony Point NC Trademark Protection for a Service

A trademark can protect a service, just like a product. A service trademark is used to identify and distinguish the services of one company from those of others in the same industry. Service trademarks play an important role in protecting a company's brand identity and reputation, and help customers differentiate the company's services from those of its competitors. Service trademarks are registered with the same process as trademarks for goods, while receiving the same legal protection. Registering a service trademark provides the owner with exclusive rights to use the trademark to promote and sell their services, as well as the ability to take legal action against anyone who infringes on their trademark rights.

Registered Stony Point, NC Patent Attorney

What is a registered Stony Point, NC patent attorney?

A registered patent attorney is an attorney who is, in addition to their state law license, also licensed to represent clients before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Generally, only practitioners who are specifically qualified by the USPTO may file and prosecute patent applications. In order to be registered by the USPTO, a patent attorney must have a Bachelor’s degree or higher in a technical field (e.g. engineering, physics, chemistry, biology) and must pass a special USPTO exam, often called the “Patent Bar,” separate from the bar exam that all lawyers must take. Not all patent practitioners are lawyers; patent agents are practitioners who are qualified to file patent applications but are not licensed to practice law. Unlike patent agents or unregistered attorneys, a registered patent attorney can both render legal advice and also file and prosecute patent applications.

Does copyright law protect my photos posted on social media?

U.S. copyright law protects creative works, and photos posted on social media are no exception. The Copyright Act protects photos posted to websites such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, but only if the images meet the minimum creativity requirements, are original, and are fixed in a tangible means of expression. When a photographer captures a photograph, they make creative decisions as to the subject matter, lighting, exposure, focus, etc., which typically satisfies both the creativity and originality requirements. Photographs taken with a phone or digital camera meet the fixation requirement when it is recorded or stored in a format that can be preserved and retrieved for future use, display, reproduction, or other commercial exploitation.

Does copyright law protect my photos posted on social media?