The Lazy Person Guide to Patents - Part One

Hey there!

Told you that I was going to do a blog about patents :) First I am going to give you some rules of the road. Then I am going to tell you how to file your application properly. If you have a question, or is just unsure, just drop me a line. I will be glad to answer any and all your questions. If I don't have the answer, I will point you in the right direction.

First: Before attempting to do anything, ask yourself this question, what is a patent?

A Patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by a state (national government) to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention. This prevents third parties from taking the patent holder's intellectual property without permission and exploiting it for their own benefit during the period in which the patent is in effect.

Second: Perform a search on your patent to see if anything has been created. There are a few ways of doing a patent search. I will give you the easiest ways.

USPTO Full Text and Image Database

(patft.uspto.gov)

This will take you to the main online database at the United States Patent and Trademark Office. There you will have the option to search under issued patents or applications that are still in the process of being patented. Use distinctive keywords during your search to get the best result. (People have called into my office asking what is a keyword, or even asking me how to perform a search. If I have to tell you what a keyword is, then I will assume you have never done a research paper, or quite frankly, any paper where you had to write for English where notations are involved.). For those that looks at the screen and don't know what to do, use the second option.

Google Patents

www.google.com/patents

This website is more user friendly. When you go to the website, just type in what you are looking for. Google uses the same data base that is on the government's page, but it a neater view.

Note: The USPTO will not perform a search for you unless you have filed an application. So don't call to the USPTO and ask the agent to perform a search over the phone. Most agents will tell you to contact an attorney, who will be more than happy to perform a search for you - for a fee.

Once you have done you research, and have decided that you have a unique invention, then you can go to the next step, which is writing and submitting your patent to the United Patent and Trademark Office.

Holding the bag

I am sitting here copying and pasting messages to people for the past hour, informing them that the trip to Jamaica has been cancelled.  Why you ask? Because my 2 compadres don't want to do it.  Ironically, these 2have been the ones striking demonic deals to everyone, from discounted rooms to plane tickets.  I tried to keep a straight face in all of this, being as honest as I can with every one.  The only thing I'm officially guilty of is telling an incorrect price.  Now I feel even more responsible because I was ill-informed about every thing else that was happening.  If I could turn back the hands of time, I would have told these crazy people not to go into a contract that they could not handle.  As a side note, you simply cannot promise a free room and airplane tickets to everybody.

In my first official year of business, I am having a Murphy's Law kind of year.  EVERYTHING THAT CAN GO WRONG, HAS WENT HORRIBLY WRONG!!!  From a botched wedding over a wedding dress, to a vacation that was cancelled due to lack of finances.  I have learned my lesson twice over, and I'm trying not to make the same mistakes for a third time.

Well now I am going into hiding, so I can sort a lot of things out.  If you would have asked me in January what my outlook was for this year, I would have simply said that it will be a good year.  Now, with the final quarter left in the year, it has went from sugar to shit.

trials and tribulations

I never knew that there were so many hateful, spiteful people in the world. This time in January, I was sitting on top off the world. I had reconnected with a childhood friend, I was filing the papers for my new company, and life was full of roses. Then the fire and brimstone comes and falls all around me. I am pulled into a world complete with lies, reputations thrown into the fire, and people simply alienate themselves. As much as I try to escape, and walk away from the entire scenario, I am getting deeper and deeper, like quicksand. I have started to become withdrawn, because I don't want my personal hell to be passed on to others. I know that this insertion doesnt sound like me, but I am not in my typical me space.

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Black Girls Are Easy: Are You Wifey Or Are You Pussy?

Black Girls Are Easy: Are You Wifey Or Are You Pussy?

this and that....

Damn its been a minute since I posted something. I really need to get back on the ball. Its my version of therapy.

A sister have been a little spazzed out lately. I was on a roll with my classes and got slapped with a failing grade on one of my test. Yeah, I was a little disturbed. Thankfully, I could retest and was able to pass the second time. Now I am sitting here telling myself to take a step back and take my time. Be patient. Things will fall into place soon enough.

Then that dreaded day came around. Yeah that day called Valentine's Day. I treated myself cause no offers came up to do it for me. So I had 1" thick angus steak, shrimp, and the works for my dinner. Fixed it myself, and enjoyed it fully. Even had Coldstone for dessert (mmmmm). I had a total of 6 people to send me V-day notes. One was different, however. He actually blasted on me, telling me I should have demanded from the closest men in my life, except for my son, to be catered to my every need because I deserved it. When I told them I hold no position in no one's life to warrant that, he simply said "cut those niggas. They don't even deserve your friendship much less anything else you give them. They don't even deserve the brain cell that you have given them. You deserve a hell of a lot more. You should be number one in their life instead of a number when they need you." It was stunning for the most part, but it was true. I deserved all of that. I thanked him for the insight, but I was emotionally raw from that 7 minute phone call. I could not dwell on that, not for long. I had to push on.

Now I'm back to the grind, forgetting about the issues that I have with my male species that I have to share Earth with. I'm looking forward to hosting an event with my HSS crew in March, seeing David Tutera in Charlotte, and of course my birthday. Right now I'm looking for anything with Chococat from Hello Kitty.

final transformation.. new career move

Well I am doing the damn thing!

Right now I am working on getting my career on its way. I am currently taking classes to become a wedding planner. I thought that planning regular and lifestyle events was tough. There is SOOOOOOO much more to learn about wedding etiquette, planning and coordination that it boggles the mind. It is definitely keeping me focused on my ultimate goal and my mind busy.

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2011....new year, same haters

Well 2011 is already off to a good start. I have connected with childhood friends, made connections, reminding myself that there is someone out there that deserves my time and attention, and is creating a foundation for my new career.

Why is the same damn bitches that hated me in 2010 is STILL hating on me in the new year??? I mean really, can y'all concentrate on somebody else? Then again, you are my biggest fans. You are the only ones that seem to keep my name in your mouth. I have never said a bad thing about you, welcomed you into my house, allowed you to get lifted, gave you money when you needed it, and yet I am the scum of the earth. You won't talk about that, will you? In the end, I treated you like a human and you took that as sign of weakness.

This year, while I am still doing me, still making connections, still going about my business, I am going to be the better woman. I will still stay hello, I will still invite you over for drinks, and still treat you like a human. Go runtellthat!!!

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