A Board Certified Patent Attorney
Archive for the ‘Blogs’ Category
What Inventors Need to Know About Trade Shows
You have a great idea for a product invention. You might even have a working sample or prototype of what you invented. Now, you want to get it out into the world and sell it. You might be tempted to take your invention to a trade show to see if you can generate interest from someone who can help you take the product to market. It could be a company that buys patents or makes licensing deals with product inventors. Maybe you’d even meet someone who wants to invest in the company you hope to build around your product, if building a business is your goal. Attending vs. Exhibiting Two ways that inventors typically participate in trade shows are by exhibiting or attending. Exhibiting. When you exhibit at a trade show, you are essentially renting a specific amount of floor space in a large room with other exhibitors. Each exhibitor sets up their
“I Created a Game. Can I Protect it with a Patent?”
“Don’t get upset – it’s just a game.” Many of us have heard those words at least once in life, whether they came from a parent who comforted us when we lost our first game of Candy Land®, or from a spouse who couldn’t understand why we were gutted by our favorite team losing the play-offs. Games are not the most important things in life, but they certainly have their value. If they didn’t, would they have stuck around for so long? As early as 5,000 years ago, the Assyrians invented a board game called “The royal game of Ur.” The earliest card game is believed to have been invented in 9th century China, known as the “leaf game.” Sports go waaaaay back, with French cave paintings depicting wrestling dated from over 15,000 years ago. When it comes to ball sports, some regard the first to be “Pitz”, played by the Mayans ar
How a Patent Broker Can Help You Sell Your Patent
The majority of inventors who apply for a patent do so because they want to monetize their idea. They know that a patent establishes legal ownership of an invention, and with that ownership comes the exclusive right to make and/or profit from the invention in the country in which the patent is issued. How Can You Sell Your Own Patent? You can sell your own patent, but it’s far from easy. Where Are Your Potential Buyers? Be prepared to research what companies might be most likely to take an interest in your patent. Be Ready to Deliver the Details Buyers Want. A potential buyer for a patent wants to make an educated decision. They will want a lot of information. Can you deliver? Unfortunately, most inventors don’t understand what kind of information potential buyers need, or even how to obtain that information. The research involved can be
Cosmetics FDA Florida IP
Wow! 20 years as a practicing Florida board certified patent attorney has flown by yet I still vividly recall just about every inventor who walked into my patent law firm over the past two decades.
8 Floridian Inventors You Need to Watch & Learn From!
Wow! 20 years as a practicing Florida board certified patent attorney has flown by yet I still vividly recall just about every inventor who walked into my patent law firm over the past two decades.
How Do I Protect My Idea Outside Florida and the United States?
If you are an inventor interested in protecting your idea outside the United States or mitigating foreign imports from China that impact your market share & profit margins, then my number 1 suggestion is to ask yourself this question: How ambitious are your commercial expansion goals outside the United States? Once you pose this question, it helps formulate a strategy for foreign filings, since you could choose to target ONE country or multiple nations in the initial application. This of course causes some anxiety for inventors since it can be an overwhelming thought. However, there is a simple way to approach this dilemma: I suggest filing the initial patent in the United States since this automatically protects you from foreign imports, including those from China. The inventor then has a full 12 mo
Inventors, Fortune Favors The Brave
My recent keynote address to the Inventor Society of South Florida (ISSF) always came back to one word: Courage. While many entrepreneurs and inventors agonize over the cost-benefits calculus of patents and the likelihood their idea can be successfully manufactured, licensed and marketed, I have found the biggest obstacle centers around fear of the unknown. I know this as a fact since I have spent the last 20 years as a Patent Attorney working with some of America’s brightest minds and startups who in many instances waited years before coming to see me to get their idea protected and ready for commercial success. Their failure to act quickly and decisively can often mean a fortune in lost annual royalties and a deep regret over making a late dash for the finish line. On a deeper level, I have faced their same fears, frustrations, and doubts, as
Join Me For My First Inventors Society Of South Florida Meeting
Since 1982, The Inventors Society of South Florida has boldly promoted innovation and provided education on the patenting process! It’s thus with great pleasure I confirm I will be delivering my inaugural address to this well-known inventor institution in the Sunshine State on June 9th, 2018. The focus of my lecture will be on how everyday inventors can strike it rich with their idea by thinking BIG. Using the power of observation and a curiosity to solve everyday problems, entrepreneurs can take advantage of the new golden age of inventing built upon the Internet and low startup costs! Up to 100 guests may be in attendance and I invite you to RSVP at your earliest convenience. Admission is free, but seats may fill up quickly so please click the link below for more information. Click her to register for free event.
Late Night Comedian and Satirist Takes a Swing at Patent Trolls
Startups and entrepreneurs both chuckled and nodded gravely when John Oliver used his comedic hour on “Last Week Tonight” to satirize Intellectual Property and the growing threat of Patent Trolls, warning that “arriving on the set of Shark Tank without a patent is like turning up to America’s Next Top Model without knowing how to smize or booty tooch!” However, he reserved the bulk of his biting humor for the one issue that keeps Inventors up at night: Patent Trolls. These unsavory characters, said Oliver, typically don’t invent anything or sell anything of value. They simply exist to buy patents and make their money threatening lawsuits in what many call the ultimate “shakedown.” “Calling them trolls is a little misleading: At least trolls actually do something: They control bridge access for
New TEDx Video: Watch John Rizvi’s Inspirational Talk For Inventors & Innovators In South Florida
I got some fantastic news last night from the organizers of TEDx: They have finally published my recent TEDx Talk on YouTube that had one critical, important message: Launching Your Idea Full Throttle Is The Only Option. It was a deeply personal journey for me because it focused on key milestones in my life that changed my trajectory as a patent attorney forever and allowed me to meet some of America’s most prolific and innovative inventors. Many of them, just like myself, started out with humble beginnings before making their mark on this nation’s entrepreneurial landscape. I hope you enjoy the presentation and would sincerely appreciate it if you could share with friends, family, colleagues and any aspiring inventors. Sincerely,
From Zero To Hero: The Meteoric Rise Of A Medical College Dropout To Startup Millionaire
I reported recently on my medical device patent blog that the current regulatory and venture capital market is hindering leapfrog innovation in the medical sector. I am happy to report that while this may be the case several of my clients have revolutionized their industries, earning giant pay checks after selling their startup and related intellectual property. One of these major success stories belongs to Alexander Gomez, who doggedly pursued an idea related to laparoscopic surgery when just about everyone around him told he was crazy. He dropped out of medical school to solve a clumsy method used by surgeons he encountered during brief spells as a surgical technician:” Surgeons, operating in chilly operating rooms, were performing laparoscopic surgery which caused the camera lens to f
Bad Patent Decisions That May Cost You Millions
Watch this illustrative Slide Share from The Patent Professor which reveals how one past famous inventor received a modest cash payout from his invention but lost millions in potential royalties. It all hinged on one fateful decision. How One Inventor Lost Millions in Royalties & How You Can Avoid The Same Mistake from The Patent Professor®<
Join Prof. John Rizvi, Esq. At His First Ever TEDX Talk
Excitement is building for Prof. John Rizvi, Esq., TEDX talk at West Broward High School on Thursday, November 10th. This will be his first presentation to the independently operated group in Florida and will focus on valuable lessons for inventors learned during his 20 year journey through patent law. Prof. Rizvi will discuss inventor themes that also feature prominently in his upcoming book entitled, Escaping the Gray: When Launching Your Idea Full Throttle is the Only Option, which is fast nearing publication. If you would like to attend the event, please find attendance details on The Patent Professor site which outline scheduling and costs. We hope to see you there!