Denver is the capital and county of Colorado. It lies at the western edge, east of the Front Range, of the Rocky Mountains, and is the city of Colorado. In 1902, the city and county were combined into one administrative unit. Denver is located at the intersection of Cherry Creek, the South Platte River.

Its elevation of 5,280 feet (11,609 metres) above sealevel at State Capitol gives it the nickname “Mile High City”. A mild, sunny, and dry climate make it a great choice.Inventors in Colorado can receive free help when it comes to filing for a patent.

Image credit: Unsplash

Cost of filing a patent application

Filing a patent application is a complicated process that requires a lot of measures and steps. Once your patent application is filed, it must be examined by the U.S. Patent Office, which can take anywhere from 18 months to a year.

Typically, you’ll receive at least one rejection before a patent is finally allowed. You may also need to hire a patent attorney to defend your application, which will raise the cost further. Additionally, the type of patent you file also affects the cost. You should carefully consider which type of patent you need, as different types are better suited for certain situations. If you’re looking to protect your invention, patenting it can be an excellent way to ensure your success.

You should have a good idea about the product you want to patent. Make sure it’s a new and original product that no one else has yet invented. You should know that there are rules to follow to make the process smooth. You should hire a patent attorney to guide you through the process and avoid costly mistakes.

The USPTO is responsible for regulating patents. The patent process is essential to many industries. Large corporations like biomedical companies rely heavily on the patent system, as do start-ups in the clean energy industry. Inventors in Colorado are encouraged to file a patent if it could benefit their business. Moreover, the patent process can result in high-paying jobs for Colorado residents.

Patents give an inventor a leg up over their competitors and provide legal protection for their inventions. A patent makes their invention intellectual property, and allows them to sell or license it. It also enhances a business’s brand in a competitive marketplace. However, the process can be long and complicated. Therefore, it’s important to be well-prepared when it comes to preparing a patent application.

Image credit: Unsplash

Resources for low-income inventors

Low-income inventors have a unique set of challenges, but there are many resources available to them. These resources are designed to provide the assistance low-income inventors need to get their idea off the ground.

Colorado residents have access to a host of unique resources and assistance in their state. The Rocky Mountain Regional Office provides additional support and resources for customers in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States and is located in the Byron G. Rogers Federal Building in downtown Denver. They are an extension of the USPTO’s Alexandria, Virginia headquarters.

Their mission is to encourage innovation and stimulate the economy. They connect entrepreneurs to government resources, support students and teachers through our STEM education program, gather feedback from regional stakeholders and recruit diverse talent from the region.

The public search room has four workstations with the same search tools that patent and trademark employees use when examining applications. Their access requirements and print capabilities are the same as those in the Public Search Facility at USPTO headquarters. The search room is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. MT, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.

Please be aware that you will not be able to connect a removable media device—such as a thumb drive or your personal phone—to the USPTO computers for the purpose of downloading your search results.

Patent Trial and Appeal Board at the Rocky Mountain Regional Office

The Patent Trial and Appeal Board, (PTAB), conducts trials including inter partes and post-grant and covered business method patent reviews and derived proceedings. It also hears appeals from adverse patent examiner decisions in patent applications and reexamination procedures and makes interferences.

The Patent Trial and Appeal Board, (PTAB), re-established hearings in person from July 11, 2022 at the United States Patent and Trademark Office headquarters in Alexandria, VA and all USPTO regional office locations.

Parties will have the opportunity to appear virtually in appeals or trials. Virtually all in-person hearings will likely still have at least one judge. At first, PTAB will not conduct an in-person hearing unless requested by all parties.

The details of each hearing will vary depending on the availability of hearing rooms, agency status and guidelines. For more information, parties should consult their Scheduling Orders or Hearing Orders. For public access to a PTAB hearing, either virtual or in-person, submit a request to PTABHearings@uspto.gov at least 3 days before the hearing.

ProBoPat program

ProBoPat connects low-income inventors to patent attorneys for patent preparation and prosecution legal service on a pro bono basis. It also provides access to business consulting for new ideas and training to bring them to market. The USPTO offers this Patent Pro Bono program that matches volunteer patent professionals with low-income inventors and small businesses. To qualify, an applicant must have an income that is less than three times the federal poverty guidelines. Some regional programs may have different eligibility criteria.

It is administered by a nonprofit organization in Denver, Colorado. It is sponsored by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the Mi Casa Resource Center, Denver, has launched in Colorado and is soon to be offered in other states, including Wyoming, New Mexico and Utah.

This program provides free time to low-income inventors to work on their patent applications. The program also provides entrepreneurship support and commercialization guidance.Volunteer patent professionals can help low-income inventors obtain a patent.

ProBoPat is unable to accept applications from inventors for the following matters:

• Assistance with the preparation of a non-provisional application when the filing deadline is six months or less
• Assistance to respond to issued Office Actions
• Inventions related to cannabis or the cannabis industry

Requirements

Each of the regional programs may have different requirements for admission. In general, the requirements for admission are:

Income
Your gross household income should be less than three times the federal poverty level guidelines though some regional programs may have different criteria.

Knowledge
You must demonstrate knowledge of the patent system in one of two ways:

Invention
You must be able to describe the particular features of the invention and how it works.

Denver Asset Building Coalition helps provide free tax preparation and financial education in Denver. It assists low-income people and those who are not well served. They collaborate with civic, education, and business partners to create a network of financial services that has a profound impact on the lives of people and our community.

Patent and Trademark Resource Centers: ProBoPat encourages all inventors to utilize the resources available at the Patent and Trademark Resource Center in their state. Trained librarians can assist inventors to conduct patent searches in the records of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

ProBoPat encourages all patent attorneys and agents who are registered and in good standing to practice before the USPTO, and who are covered by malpractice insurance, to volunteer to represent low-income inventors through ProBoPat. If you would like to volunteer, please complete the Volunteer Interest Form.

Image credit: Unsplash

Law school clinics

A legal clinic (also known as law school clinic or law clinic) is a program that provides legal aid to clients and gives practical experience to students. Clinics are often directed by clinical professors.

Colorado inventors and entrepreneurs can obtain free legal help for both patent and trademark matters by contacting:

In addition to the law school clinics listed above, there are 19 law school clinics that provide free patent and trademark services to all residents of the United States regardless of location.

Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC)

Certain libraries throughout the United States are designated as Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC), which provide resources and trained staff to help customers use and understand USPTO information and filing systems. Colorado is served by the following PTRCs

It can be difficult to patent an invention or trademark a product name. The PTRC library staff is information specialists who are trained in how to use search engines to find patent and trademark information. They can help inventors and small businesses find information that is relevant to their intellectual property. However, PTRC representatives cannot give legal advice as they are not lawyers.

Representatives from the PTRC library can:

  • Provide access to resources such as Patent Public Search and TESS, Trademark Electronic Search System
  • Direct you to information and explain the application process and fee schedule
  • Demonstrate how to use search tools to conduct a patent or trademark search
  • Show you a directory of local patent attorneys who are licensed to practice before the USPTO
  • Offer classes on intellectual property (varies by location)
  • Offer assistance on how to do historical research on patents and trademarks
  • Show you how to track current research by company or nonprofit
  • Help you find assignee information and much more.

A PTRC must provide public accessibility to products and services, offer patent and trademark training as well as provide reference assistance and outreach to the public. The intellectual property resources of some libraries significantly exceed the core requirements.

The Denver Public Library is a designated Patent & Trademark Resource Center (PTRC). The Patent and Trademark Resource Center is located in the Reference Services Department, Floor 3 of the Central Library. The Library provides free access to patent and trademark resources in various formats, and reference librarians provide assistance and instruction on how to perform a preliminary patent and trademark search.

To schedule a one-on-one appointment with a librarian complete the Patent and Trademark Appointment form.Self-service photocopying or printing of patent documents is available. PTRCs are neither required nor encouraged to conduct patent and trademark searches for their patrons as that activity may be interpreted as rendering a judgment or opinion.

PTRCs are required to instruct patrons in the use of the search tools available at the PTRCs for patrons conducting their own patent and trademark searches. Please contact a registered patent attorney or agent for a complete patent search and for legal advice.

Image credit: Unsplash

Every day the USPTO hosts events across the country geared just for aspiring inventors and entrepreneurs, from trademark basics to patent search workshop

If you intend to hire an attorney (recommended), the USPTO maintains a roster of active patent attorneys and agents registered with the USPTO. Find an attorney or agent by selecting Colorado from the list of states in the search field.

Inventor clubs and organizations can be a great way to connect with local inventors and entrepreneurs and open more doors to resources and opportunities.

https://www.ycombinator.com/documents/
https://techcrunch.com/
https://www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/startup-resources
https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/plan-your-business/fund-your-business
https://hbr.org/1998/11/how-venture-capital-works
http://patentpc.com/
http://uspto.gov/

Free Patent Filing Assistance In Henderson
What Are Different Rounds Of Funding
Startup And New Business Guide For Oklahoma Inventors With Patentable Inventions
Patent Invention Disclosure Form Free Download
Race And Family Income Impacts American Indian Inventor Patenting Activity