Michael A. Shimokaji - Lunch & Learn July 14, 2017

PATENTFUNDAMENTALS

FOR THE START-UP

MICHAEL SHIMOKAJI

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THREE KINDS OF PATENTS

• Plant• Design• Utility

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PLANT PATENT

• Legal definition - “asexually reproduces any distinct and new variety of plant, including cultivated sports, mutants, hybrids, and newly found seedlings, other than a tuber propagated plant or a plant found in an uncultivated state”

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PLANT PATENT

• Protection for 15 years

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DESIGN PATENT

• Legal definition – “ornamental design for an article of manufacture”

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DESIGN PATENT

• Article of manufacture is:

- a thing made by hand or machine

- end product sold to consumer or component of end product

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DESIGN PATENT

• Protects the way an article looks, now how it works

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DESIGN PATENT

• Includes:- configuration or shape of article

- surface ornamentation of article

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DESIGN PATENT

• Design must be “primarily ornamental”, rather than primarily functional, when viewed in its entirety

• Functional article may still be protected

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DESIGN PATENT

• Protection for 15 years

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DESIGN PATENT

• Attorney costs:

- $2000 to file

- $1500 to process

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DESIGN PATENT

• Possible strategy:

- use design protection instead of utility

- faster and cheaper

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UTILITY PATENT

• Legal definition - “new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof”

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UTILITY PATENT

• Yes – it can protect software and business methods

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UTILITY PATENT

• Two kinds:

- provisional (only application)

- non-provisional

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UTILITY PATENT

• Provisional benefits:

- patent pending status

- early filing date

- fast, low cost

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UTILITY PATENT

• Provisional disadvantages:

- cannot sue infringer

- potential missing information

- expires in one year

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UTILITY PATENT

• Provisional attorney costs:

- $1500 to file

- $0 to process

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UTILITY PATENT

• Provisional possible strategy:

- use one year to test your market

- file provisional and convert to non-provisional

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UTILITY PATENT

• Non-Provisional benefits:

- exclude persons from making, using, selling, offering for sale

- protection potentially broader than product

- protection for 20 years

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UTILITY PATENT

• Non-Provisional disadvantages:

- only protected in US

- no protection beyond patent claims

- cannot renew

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UTILITY PATENT

• Non-Provisional attorney costs:

- $5000 to file

- $5000 to process

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UTILITY PATENT

• Non-Provisional possible strategy:

- file non-provisional (not provisional) to get issued patent against potential infringer

- file non-provisional (not provisional) when you want to sell your idea

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FOREIGN PATENT

• How to:

- PCT

- direct

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FOREIGN PATENT

• Foreign benefits:

- selling outside US

- manufacturing outside US

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FOREIGN PATENT

• Foreign disadvantages:

- country specific protection

- translation costs

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FOREIGN PATENT

• Foreign attorney costs:

- $5K-10K to file

- $5K to 10K to process

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FOREIGN PATENT

• Foreign possible strategy:

- file foreign if there is financial justification

- file foreign if you want to sell your idea

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QUESTIONS?

• Contact info:

Michael Shimokajimshimokaji@shimokaji.com(949) 788-9968

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