Patent: USPTO - The United States Patent And Trademark Office

USPTO - The United States Patent And Trademark Office

By Business Editor

In 1975, the Office of Patents was renamed to the Patent and Trademark Office, and in 2000, the name was changed to the USPTO, which it still goes by today ...

The USPTO has an interesting and unique history. It was first founded in 1802, as a "Superintendent of Patents." In 1836, it became an official office in its own right. In 1849, the Office of Patents moved from being a state department to being in the Department of Interior. It was moved to the Department of Commerce in 1925, and it is still there to this day. In 1975, the Office of Patents was renamed to the Patent and Trademark Office, and in 2000, the name was changed to the USPTO, which it still goes by today.

The USPTO's duties appear simple on the outside. They grant and issue the patents and the trademarks. The United States Patent and Trademark Office examines each patent application and decides if they are eligible to receive the trademark or patent for which they have applied. If the patent office decides a patent or trademark is eligible, then they issue the trademark or patent to the applicant. The USPTO has no jurisdiction over the enforcement of patent or trademark laws, or patent infringement.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office is also responsible for handling everything regarding patent or trademark applications. This means there is a lot of mail sorting, as well as processing of internet applications. In the case of conflicting patent applications, certain technology centers, depending on the type of technology, must determine which inventor was the first to come up with the original idea. The patent rights or trademark will then be issued to that inventor. All of this work keeps the USPTO very busy. Most applications for patents and trademarks take at least 18 months to process. Therefore, if you are looking to apply for a patent or trademark, then the sooner it is filed the better.

Next article: About Domain Name Trademarking

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Recommended Trademarking Resources

A Trademark Guide for Entrepreneurs - A Trademark Guide for Entrepreneurs provides the information business executives need to know about protecting their most valuable assets - their trade names, trademarks and service marks. In easy-to-follow language, Robert E. Lee explains how to register trademarks and trade names with both state and federal offices, police the marketplace for possible infringers and successfully exploit the marks through assignments, licenses, franchises and joint ventures. Most importantly, A Trademark Guide for Entrepreneurs teaches the corporate officer, director or manager how to select and use effective trademarks that will stand out in over-crowded market areas, thereby increasing market share and profit potential.

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The Trademark Guide: A Friendly Handbook To Protecting And Profiting From Trademarks (Paperback)

For more information about Trademarking-related resources, see our Business resources section, subscribe to our Business Newsletter containing news, updates and insider tips, or go to more articles about Patent.

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