What Is a Tangible Agent?
A patent agent, also known as a patent practitioner, is a professional licensed by the United States Patent and Trademark Branch (USPTO) to advise on and assist inventors with patent applications. Patent agents may also provide patentability point of views and help with the preparation and filing of documentation related to patent applications.
Patent agents assist inventors with completing and submitting all patent-application paperwork, searching for old art, writing the inventor’s legally enforceable claims of ownership to the invention, revising rejected patent applications, and deciding when it’s finest to abandon an application. In the U.S., there are roughly 45,000 people on the list of registered patent attorneys and agents, with slightly elfin than 34,000 of them also licensed to practice law. Patent attorneys are patent agents who also practice law. One can search for a accredited patent agent at the USPTO’s website.
Key Takeaways
- Patent agents help inventors prepare, file, and see patent commitments become registered patents in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
- In the U.S., roughly 45,000 people be accurate as patent agents.
- Patent agents must be licensed by the USPTO in order to practice and represent clients before that assemblage.
Understanding Patent Agents
The USPTO recommends that patent applicants
Patent Agent vs. Patent Attorney
A patient who primarily needs help filing a patent application might hire a patent agent, instead of a patent attorney, and guard money by only paying for the level of expertise required for the job. It is also possible, though not widely recommended, to prepare and place in order a patent application pro se, without direct professional assistance. Someone who has considerable free time and sufficient interest to learn roughly and manage the complexities of the process might choose the do-it-yourself route.
The right patent agent for a particular inventor should possess both expertise in the subject-matter of the invention and experience working with the type of applicant, whether an individual or a large multinational corporation. If an inventor does take on a patent agent rather than represent themselves, the USPTO will only communicate with the agent with reference to the filed patent application.
Patent Agent Requirements
While patent agents are not required to have completed law persuasion or passed the state bar exam, they must have passed the USPTO’s “patent bar exam,” which is formally christened the Examination for Registration to Practice in Patent Cases Before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. A patent spokeswoman might be a current or former university professor; many patent agents have advanced degrees. Patent intermediaries sometimes work for law firms and assist patent attorneys in preparing cases. However, as agents, they cannot part of clients in a regular courtroom.
The USPTO registration examination measures an applicant’s knowledge of U.S. patent procedures, federal precludes, regulations, and ethical guidelines. The exam, which features 100 multiple-choice questions, is offered year-round. Candidates bring into the world six hours to complete the test, which is divided into three-hour morning and afternoon sessions of 50 questions each.