Defend Trade Secrets ACT Of May 11, 2016 Presented to ENTELEC 2016 By: Wendy Buskop Managing Patent Attorney
“Defend Trade Secrets Act What is the “Defend Trade Secrets Act of May 11, 2016 ? www.BuskopLaw.com
A NEW LAW: That Creates 2 Federal Criminal Penalties 4 Federal Civil Remedies For theft of Trade Secrets www.BuskopLaw.com
Who am I ? www.BuskopLaw.com
Managing Patent Attorney for a Law Firm which for 16 Years has been Top WINNER 2000-2016 Based on number of issued patents “Intellectual Pro 16 perty Today Magazine “ www.BuskopLaw.com
We have a WORLD-WIDE reach. We file and issue patents and trademarks. Our Law firm obtains patents from U.S. A. and foreign government patent offices We have a WORLD-WIDE reach. We file and issue patents and trademarks. www.BuskopLaw.com
Our Law Firm has been in business 24 YEARS as of August 2016 Buskop Law Group is based in Houston Texas Buskop Law Group has clients in 35 states and Buskop Law Group has clients in 22 foreign countries www.BuskopLaw.com
Buskop Law Group Is A Non-Litigating Patent &Trademark Law Firm Since 1992 www.BuskopLaw.com
Types of Intellectual Property New Federal Trade Secrets Patents Trademarks Copyrights www.BuskopLaw.com
6 Steps needed under the New Defend Trade Secrets Act Step 1 – Buy a Stamp, Stamp “trade secret” on trade secrets, add company name and year Simply stamping confidential is NO LONGER GOOD ENOUGH! Patents www.BuskopLaw.com
6 Steps needed under the New Defend Trade Secrets Act Step 2 – Check employee agreements, insert the word “trade secrets” into the document Using “confidential and proprietary” is NO LONGER GOOD ENOUGH! Patents www.BuskopLaw.com
6 Steps needed under the New Defend Trade Secrets Act Step 3 – Review customer secrecy/nondisclosure /confidentiality agreements insert “trade secret” into documents Simply stamping confidential is NO LONGER GOOD ENOUGH! Patents www.BuskopLaw.com
6 Steps needed under the New Defend Trade Secrets Act Step 4 – Buy a log book, buy visitor badges Have every visitor sign in and know trade secrets are in the facility & make visitors wear badges Patents www.BuskopLaw.com
6 Steps needed under the New Defend Trade Secrets Act Step 5 – Have a company policy to treat trade secrets with a level of protection – passwords, priority access, restrictions on leaving facility Patents www.BuskopLaw.com
6 Steps needed under the New Defend Trade Secrets Act Step 6 – Have employee meetings regularly to remind them trade secrets exist and the company policy Patents www.BuskopLaw.com
What are the Criminal Penalties under the Defend Trade Secrets Act? Patents www.BuskopLaw.com
Patents Up to 10 years in jail www.BuskopLaw.com
What are the Criminal Penalties under the Defend Trade Secrets Act? Patents What are the Criminal Penalties under the Defend Trade Secrets Act? www.BuskopLaw.com
Patents A $5,000,000 fine www.BuskopLaw.com
What are the 4 Civil Penalties under the Defend Trade Secrets Act? Patents What are the 4 Civil Penalties under the Defend Trade Secrets Act? www.BuskopLaw.com
Civil Penalty #1A Actual Damages Patents Civil Penalty #1A Actual Damages Civil Penalty #1B Double Actual Damages if action was willful and malicious www.BuskopLaw.com
Civil Penalty #2 An injunction Patents www.BuskopLaw.com
Patents Civil Penalty #3 Attorneys’ fees www.BuskopLaw.com
Patents Civil Penalty #4 Seizure www.BuskopLaw.com
CAN TRADE SECRETS BE PATENTED? Patents CAN TRADE SECRETS BE PATENTED? Maybe…… www.BuskopLaw.com
Patents What things can be patented? Not previously disclosed software for metering www.BuskopLaw.com
Patents What things can be patented? Not already disclosed or commercially used Methods to determine functional life of equipment in a manufacturing facility www.BuskopLaw.com
What things can be patented? Patents What things can be patented? Undisclosed Tracking Software Undisclosed SCADA related apps www.BuskopLaw.com
Patents What types of patents can issue? Systems which have not been disclosed A system can be an encryption system. www.BuskopLaw.com
What things can be patented? Patents What things can be patented? Gadgets and Gizmos for pipeline management and monitoring that have not been disclosed www.BuskopLaw.com
All kinds of methods…..sequences or steps…that have not been disclosed Patents What can be patented? All kinds of methods…..sequences or steps…that have not been disclosed www.BuskopLaw.com
WHY PATENT? It protects trade secrets until the patent issues www.BuskopLaw.com
A patent is… a development tool www.BuskopLaw.com
A patent is… a message to customers, that the patent holders are thinking, creative & clever www.BuskopLaw.com
Patent Pending A patent is… eye catching, show stopping, when used on a tradeshow display www.BuskopLaw.com
PATENT PENDING A patent is… a message to competitors, to stay away from the patent owner’s market share www.BuskopLaw.com
A patent is… an excuse for a press release www.BuskopLaw.com
A patent is… a marketing tool for the invention on the owner’s website www.BuskopLaw.com
A patent is… a powerful message in presentations with customers www.BuskopLaw.com
A patent can… secure invitations to trade group speaking engagements www.BuskopLaw.com
A patent is… a reason to call a potential customer “good news” www.BuskopLaw.com
A patent is… tweetable! Patents can be discussed in a a tweet to attract customers using Twitter® www.BuskopLaw.com
A patent is… a message to investors that the company value is increasing www.BuskopLaw.com
A patent is… used to win technology awards www.BuskopLaw.com
An issued patent is… an award! www.BuskopLaw.com
A patent is… a video opportunity! A video about a patent filing on a website can improve the website search position with Google® www.BuskopLaw.com
a YouTube® opportunity. A patent is… a YouTube® opportunity. www.BuskopLaw.com
A patent can… attract investors www.BuskopLaw.com
A patent is… blog material A patent is… blog material! The patent can be discussed in blogs to attract customers www.BuskopLaw.com
A patent is… a symbol of innovation, when the patent is referenced in brochures www.BuskopLaw.com
A patent can… Attract invitations to TV or radio interviews www.BuskopLaw.com
What else can be patented? Patents What else can be patented? Control systems!!! www.BuskopLaw.com
Patents What can be patented? Pumps Meters Gauges www.BuskopLaw.com
Methods to monitor fuel levels Methods providing alarms for vessel sensors Patents www.BuskopLaw.com
Its all about Time & Quality! Buskop Law Group can draft and file a patent application in about 30 days and a trademark in about 10 days Its all about Time & Quality! www.BuskopLaw.com
Patent Applications can be filed as: provisional applications non-provisional applications Patent Applications can be filed as: www.BuskopLaw.com
100% Described Provisional Patents Provisional Patent applications must meet 35 United States Code Section 112, which demands a full and enabling disclosure 100% Described www.BuskopLaw.com
Provisional Patents Provisional Applications do not become patents Provisional Applications must be modified into non-provisional utility patent applications within 12 months Provisional Applications are placeholders www.BuskopLaw.com
Provisional Patents Provisional patent applications last only 1 year and then must be filed as a non-provisional utility patent application or the applicant loses all rights www.BuskopLaw.com
Non-Provisional Patents Non-Provisional Utility Patent Applications must contain five important components: www.BuskopLaw.com
Non-Provisional Patents #1 Benefits of the Invention #2 Claims describing the Invention #3 Detailed Description of the Invention #4 An example of how the invention works #5 Figures describing the nouns & verbs used in the claims www.BuskopLaw.com
Provide notice! Here is a “Notice” Checklist [ ] Websites [ ] Brochures [ ] Catalogs [ ] Trade Show materials [ ] Power Point Slide shows [ ] Advertisements [ ] Proposals [ ] Emails [ ] Press Releases [ ] Letterhead [ ] Business cards [ ] Products sold or offered for sale www.BuskopLaw.com
What are Trademark? A trademark identifies and distinguishes the source or origin of the goods of one party from another party. A service mark identifies and distinguishes the source or origin of a service of one party from another party. www.BuskopLaw.com
Trademarks The 5 usual types of trademarks are: Word Marks Logo Marks Color Marks Sound Marks Slogan Marks www.BuskopLaw.com
Copyrights © www.BuskopLaw.com
An original artistic expression fixed in a tangible medium What is a Copyright? An original artistic expression fixed in a tangible medium www.BuskopLaw.com
Thank you ! Please ask for our free information: Wendy Buskop Managing Patent Attorney The Buskop Law Group 713-275-3400 4511 Dacoma, Houston, Texas www.Buskoplaw.com