Patent Services for the Small Business or Individual Inventor

Most of our individual and small-business clients are going through the patent process for the first time. We explain each step in plain language, tell you what it costs before we start, and give you honest advice about whether the investment makes business sense. Then we do the work.

Patents

We draft, file, and prosecute U.S. and international patent applications on your behalf. For clients seeking protection abroad, we work with a network of carefully selected foreign associates to file and prosecute your application outside the United States.

Patentability (novelty) searches

Before you spend on an application, find out what is already out there. A patentability search uncovers existing patents and publications that may affect the scope of your rights, and our written opinion tells you what the results mean. $1,200 flat rate.

Freedom-to-operate searches

Performed before launching a product to check whether it would step on a third party's patent. We search issued and pending patents whose claims may be relevant to your technology and report what we find.

License partner searches

If you hold a patent, we identify companies that could benefit from licensing your technology, prepare a prospect list, and contact them on your behalf if you choose.

Re-examinations and invalidity searches

When an issued patent stands in your way, we search for invalidating prior art and prepare and file a complete re-examination request with the USPTO. More on our reexamination services

State-of-the-art searches

A market portrait before you enter a new field: patents, papers, product literature, and technical sources synthesized into a readable report to support your business decisions.