|
United States Patent and Trademark Office
History Established over 200 years ago, the patent system was formed by Congress to “promote the progress of and the useful arts by securing, for limited times to inventors the exclusive right to their respective discoveries “ (Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution). George Washington signed the first United States Patent Grant on July 31, 1790 and the patent examiner was Thomas Jefferson. The first patent went to Samuel Hopkins of Pittsford, Vermont for a new method of making potash, an industrial chemical using in making soap, glass, fertilizers and gunpowder. Later in 1925, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office became an agency of the Department of Commerce and presently continues to fulfil its’ mission as a system of protection for American industry. What does the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office do? The Patent and Trademark Office has several duties which include:
Just as there are other kinds of property, intellectual property is an idea that has come to be materialized. Intellectual property often refers to a product of the human mind or intellect, such as an idea, invention, expression, unique name, business method, industrial process, or chemical formula, which has some value in the marketplace and that can be made into a tangible form for the marketplace.* For example the “San Antonio Spurs” logo and phase is considered intellectual property. In working with Congress, the Patent and Trademark Office promotes legislation ensuring that intellectual property laws and policy uphold and encourage innovation. As the global market increases, these laws act to preserve and foster our most valuable asset: creativity. About the display The information presented in the display is designed to provide you with an overview of some of the functions of the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office. Please take some time to visit the display and learn about patents and trademarks. *Information presented on the display was taken from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (http://www.usptp.gov ), the U.S. Government Manual, and Patent It Yourself 6th by David Pressman. If you have any questions about the display or about patents
and
trademarks; please visit the Government Documents desk. |
| C 2.5/4:1244/3 | Official Gazette of the U.S. Patent Office (July 24, 2001) |
| C 21.2: F1998 | A Patent and Trademark Office Review Fiscal Year 1998 |
| C 21.2: C33/3 | A Patent and Trademark Office Review Fiscal Year 1999 |
| C 21.2: IN3/4/999 | USPTO Information Contacts 1999 |
| C 21.2: IN3/997-2002/Exec. | USPTO Strategic Information Technology Plan for Fiscal Years 1997-2002 |
| C 21.2: IN6 | USPTO Leading America Innovation. 1999 |
| C 21.2: M56 | USPTO "A Message from the Under Secretary and Director" 2000 |
| C 21.2:P69/3 | General Information about Traditional Plant Patients.1997 |
| C 21.2: T67/4/998 | Basic Facts about Trademarks. 1998 |
| C 21.5/4A:1244/2001/3-6 | Patent and Trademark Office Notices (June 12,2001) |
| C 21.5/5:2001 | Consolidated Listing of Official Gazette Re-Patent and Trademark Office Practices and Procedures. 2001 |
| C 21.12/2:99 | Index U.S. Patent Classification System (Dec. 1999) |
| C 21.14/2:C74/2000 | U.S. Patent Classification to International Patent Classification Concordance Edition. 2000 |
| C 21.14/2: D46/998 | A Guide to Filing a Design Patent Application. 1998 |
| C 21.14/2:D79 | Guide for the Preparation of Patent Drawings |
| C 21.14/2: UT4 | A Guide to Filing a Utility Patent Application.2001 |
| C 21.26/2:994 | General Information Concerning Patents. 1994 |
| C 21.39:999 | U.S. Patent and Trademark Office 1999 Products and Services Catalog. 1999 |
