On May 15, CTC kicked off our IP 101 series with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), America’s Innovation Agency. We were joined by Derris Banks, Regional Director of the USPTO Midwest Elijah J. McCoy Regional Outreach Office in Detroit, and Jason Lott, Managing Attorney for Trademarks Customer Outreach at USPTO.
After they provided a detailed run-through of the differences between Patents, Trademarks, and Trade Secrets, they provided attendees with a few critical tips regarding most common questions asked.
- Use USPTO’s IP Identifier to determine how you can start the application process.
- Check out the USPTO free resources for investors and entrepreneurs.
- Generative AI can be used to create materials BUT it depends on the model because it could recreate something already protected.
- Have the conversation with IP examiners to know what they are looking for.
- Patent Pending can be used once the non-provisional and provisional applications.
- Exclusive licensing is critical if you are having something developed by a third-party.
Want to know more, and get critical questions answered? Join us for Part 2 of this IP 101 Series, an USPTO Expert Panel on May 21.