VADCFLL-L Archives

First Lego League in Virginia and DC

VADCFLL-L@LISTSERV.JMU.EDU

Options: Use Forum View

Use Proportional Font
Show HTML Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
"Aucoin, William B." <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Aucoin, William B.
Date:
Fri, 15 Oct 2010 11:32:25 -0500
Content-Type:
multipart/alternative
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (3455 bytes) , text/html (11 kB)
DISCLAIMER: I am not an attorney.

 

It all depends on what the you want to do. Without going into great
detail, it is possible it file a "provisional patent" application which
costs less than a non-provisional patent. The provisional patent costs
$110 for USPTO application fee in addition to any fees associated with a
patent attorney (You might be lucky enough to find a kind attorney to do
the application pro-bono). The provisional patent is good for only a
year and a non-provisional patent application needs to be filed within
12 months of the provisional patent filing. If you want to totally
protect the intellectual property of the invention, then you would need
to complete all of the steps and get a non-provisional patent, which can
get pretty expensive. If you do not want to continue the protection of
your intellectual property, you have no obligation to file the
non-provisional patent application and you can allow the patent to
expire after a year.

 

See this for more information on provisional patents:
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/ProvApp.pdf

See this for the fees:
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/qs/ope/fee2009september15.htm (See
"small entity fee" for "provisional patent").

 

The filing of a patent is a tremendous administrative burden which could
detract from a FLL team's work in the main FLL areas. I have seen
patents from both sides of the judging table within FLL. They don't
really sway the judges any more than having a very innovative idea to
begin with. With all of this being said, the teams do get a big kick out
of having their names associated with a patent.

 

Best of luck!

Bill 

 

From: First Lego League in Virginia and DC
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Frank Fenneran - Team
#53 Brainstorms
Sent: Thursday, October 14, 2010 9:54 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: EXTERNAL:Re: [VADCFLL-L] Patent Help Needed

 

I and a few partners just received a patent on an invention that took
about three years to go through the process. But that is better than the
one we filed before this one, because it was filed a year earlier and is
still in process.

 

Gail is right, the cost is going to $10,000+

 

-Frank

 

From: First Lego League in Virginia and DC
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of The Okes Family
Sent: Thursday, October 14, 2010 9:41 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [VADCFLL-L] Patent Help Needed

 

Does anyone know a streamlined and reliable way to Patent our team's
invention?

I'd like to show them how to patent their ideas for the future too.

 

Thanks,

- Lisa

________________________________

To UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your settings, please visit
https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-l.html and select "Join or
leave the list". 
VADCFLL administrative announcements are sent via VADCFLL-ADMIN-L. Visit
https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-admin-l.html to subscribe. 

________________________________

To UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your settings, please visit
https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-l.html and select "Join or
leave the list". 
VADCFLL administrative announcements are sent via VADCFLL-ADMIN-L. Visit
https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-admin-l.html to subscribe. 


-- To UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your settings, please visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-l.html and select "Join or leave the list".

-- VADCFLL administrative announcements are sent via VADCFLL-ADMIN-L. Visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-admin-l.html to subscribe.








ATOM RSS1 RSS2