BizTech Law Blog
So you had one of those “Eureka!” moments a while ago and your epiphany is going to make millions as soon as it hits the shelves. This blog is about making sure you don’t lose your right to patent that million dollar idea by waiting too long to file a patent application.
Generally, an invention can only be patented if a patent application is filed within one year of the invention's first disclosure. A public disclosure can take the form of: 1) a publication, 2) a public use, or 3) an offer for sale. In the patent world, these events are called the statutory bars because they bar you from filing a patent on the idea if one year has elapsed since the event.
Technology is increasingly becoming an essential component of all industries. This is especially true for the health care industry. As health care providers continue to increase their use of technology, they are asked more and more frequently to enter into software or other IT contracts. Before entering into a contract, no matter the industry, you should always have an attorney review the document.
Learn more about IT Contract Review for health care providers on our Health Care Law Blog here.
Are you interested in IT Contract Review for another industry? Contact one of our technology attorneys to help you review your agreement before you face unexpected problems or unwanted liability.
I get a lot of questions from clients about “provisional patents." Let me just start this blog by clarifying once and for all that there is no such thing as a “provisional patent” anywhere in the Patent Act. However, since 1995 the USPTO has offered inventors the option of filing a provisional patent application under §11(b) of the Patent Act. Provisional applications have some interesting advantages of which you should be aware.
The IRS has warned that virtual currencies, such as Bitcoin, are to be treated as property and not as currency for tax purposes. Read this latest Bitcoin update on our tax blog.
Want to learn more about Bitcoin? Check out this blog post from November on what it is and where it is going.
