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Category: Inventions

Protecting Your Custom Software Development

If you are a custom software developer, the best thing you can do to protect your invention is to have in your arsenal a customized software development agreement tailored to your specific business. Developing code is a unique enterprise. Just like you would never borrow someone’s code to develop your software, you should never borrow some other software developers’ contracts or agreements to protect your work. At JGPC Business Law we assist software developers in drafting custom software...

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Describing An Invention Part 2

Part 2 of a multi-part series “Part 1” of Describing An Invention covered the purpose of a patent application (limited monopoly in exchange for complete disclosure) and the Brief Description of the Invention. This “Part 2” of Describing An Invention discusses the Detailed Description of the Invention. As a basic requirement, the Detailed Description provides an enabling disclosure of the invention sufficiently adequate for an ordinary person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. So...

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How to Properly Describe An Invention for Your Patent Application – Part 1 of a Multi-Part Series

By Author: Gerald R. Prettyman, Patent and Intellectual Property Attorney Writing and applying for a Patent is a trade-off. In return for the inventor having a monopoly for making, using, offer to sell and selling the invention, the patent application must describe the invention so that (1) the Patent Examiner will sufficiently understand the invention to determine whether the described invention qualifies for a patent, and (2) after expiration of the patent, the public knows how to make and use...

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How to Legally Protect Your Inventions and Ideas

An idea can be worth a million dollars – to you or to your competitor – which is why it is important to take steps to protect your inventions and ideas. Unfortunately, many California business owners fail to take reasonable and simple measures to prevent competitors from learning about these valuable ideas and inventions. A small business owner can be especially disadvantaged if the competitor not only learns of the idea or invention but takes steps to protect that very same idea or invention...

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What to Do Before You Disclose

Author:  Gerald R. Prettyman, J.D., LL.M. A question high on the list of first asked questions to a Patent Attorney, is “what do I need to protect my idea before I talk to an investor, (a manufacturer or licensor), etc. The answer, or answers as a inventor should take multiple steps, are not complicated. The first step is to record the idea in writing. While many inventors are reluctant to putting the idea in writing with the thought that doing so limits them to only what is in writing, not having...

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Intellectual Property Protection for New Product Inventions

New Product Inventions Require the Right Protection Without the right intellectual property protections, your new product ideas and inventions are just as likely to benefit another business as your own. This is because copyrights, patents, trademarks, and other similar intellectual property protections afford you and the individuals or entities you choose with certain rights to use and reproduce the invention. Intellectual property law is exceedingly complex; therefore, obtaining the proper protection...

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JGPC Business Law is a business law firm providing cost-effective, quality legal services to privately held businesses, corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), general partnerships, joint ventures, limited liability partnerships (LLPs), limited partnerships (LP), trusts, business start ups, entrepreneurs, business owners, managers, executives, investors, buyers & sellers throughout the Tri-Valley and the East Bay Area, including Pleasanton, Dublin, Livermore, San Ramon, Danville, Walnut Creek, Castro Valley, Fremont, Tracy, Modesto, Manteca, Stockton and all of Alameda County and Contra Costa County. We are here to serve all of your business and corporate law needs.