1. Contact Information  Colette Holmes, Management Librarian  Folsom Library, Room 341 A, One floor above Main (entry) floor  Mon – Fri, 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM  Email: holmec@rpi.edu  Voice: 276-8331 Please call in advance for an office appointment.

2. U.S. Patent & Trademark Office U.S. Government Agency Grants U.S. patents; Registers trademarks. Grants exclusive rights to patent’s inventor or assignee. More than 7 million patents issued since 1790. Website: http://www.uspto.govhttp://www.uspto.gov Provides search engine. Provides resources and support for inventors. Poor organization.

3. Three Types of Patents Utility ( Garage Door Opener: US Pat. 4247806 )4247806 Process, machine, manufactured article, and useful improvement thereof. Design (Design for Tea Pot: US Pat. D343984 )D343984 Ornamental design for article of manufacture. Plant (Rose Plant Named “Poulman” : US Pat. PP6264) PP6264 Invent/discover and asexually reproduce distinct and new variety of plant.

4. Some Patent Timelines About 31 months from Application to Issue. In most cases, patent has 20 years life span. Patent Pending No protection; Unlawful to market as such if not made a patent application; Gives manufacturer head start. Play-Doh In the market since 1955; patented 1964.

5. Patent Searching  Some Reasons Why  Excludes others from using your invention.  Aids product design and development; strategic planning.  Hire a Patent Attorney/Agent.  Recommended for serious commercial opportunities.  Larger employers may have one on staff.

6. USPTO vs. Google : Some Pros & Cons USPTO Advantages  Weekly Updates  All Patents Available  Variety of Search Options/Resources Google Advantages  User-Friendly Interface  Keyword Search - 1790 vs. 1976  Print Entire Patent with One Click

7. Today’s Google Patent Search  Follow a Search Model for Fantasy Games’ Patents.  Try a Google Patent Search in Small Group.  View Some Search Features & Patent Anatomy. Share with class.

8. Dig Deeper with a Patent Fantasy Internet Sports Games(US Pat: 6371855) Claims Patent boundaries; In legal language Citations Inventor Looking Back; Some of the Prior Art Referenced by Other inventors building on this patent U.S. Classification Codes 463/42 Amusement Devices: Games/Network type (e.g. computer network, etc.) 463/42

9. October 2009