In celebrating National Inventors Month, we have concentrated on bringing you stories about inventors and inventions. In this post, we’re going to look at trademarks. Why trademarks? Federal trademark registration adds value to the products you have invented.
According to the USPTO, a trademark is the name, symbol or logo that you have created to let consumers know that the product sold under your trademark comes from you or your company.
If your product is a successful one, customers who recognize it by its trademark will want to buy it long after the patent protection has expired.
Trademark rights, unlike patents, come into being as soon as you start selling your product under your trademark. Federal registration of your trademark, however, gives you certain benefits that you would not otherwise have without a registration.
A few of these benefits are, a presumption of ownership and nationwide exclusivity in the mark, the ability to file the registration with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Service to block infringing imports, and the ability to obtain registrations in foreign countries based on your US registration.
Trademarks often become the most valuable intellectual property right that a company holds.
The USPTO has numerous tools to help you get your trademark registered. Their Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) is available on their website, to help you search their records for other prior registered or pending marks free of charge. They also have their Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) which enables you to file an electronic trademark application through the website.
Photo by 3cpatents.com.