What are Patents?
Patents document the creation of certain types of intellectual property. They are reviewed and approved by a division of the U.S. Government - the Patent and Trademark Office. Patents have been issued by the U.S. government since 1790 and have evolved over time. Patents register an invention, design, plant, etc. with the government and when granted allow the inventor to exclude others from the production, use, and sale for a period of 20 years (uspto.gov). International patents are also available. This LibGuide provides an overview of resources related to patents.
For additional information about what patents are, visit the link below.
- General Information about PatentsThis page provides an overview of patents. It is the source of the information above.
Types of Patents
- Utility PatentsLearn more about Utility Patents in the USPTO's Nonprovisitional (Utility) Patent Application Guide.
- Design PatentsLearn more about Design Patents in the USPTO's Design Patent Application Guide.
- Plant PatentsLearn more about Plant Patents in this article on the USPTO website.
What can patents be used for?
- Do you have an idea for an invention? Discover inventions and proposed projects.
- Are you interested in the development of particular technologies?
- Are you looking for information about an ancestor or other notable person who invented something?
- Are you interested in the specific activities and/or outputs of a specific company?
Finding Patents
Digital Patent Resources
- Searching for PatentsAccess to full-text search and tips from USPTO.
Other Publications from the U.S. Patent Office
- Official GazetteNotice of Applications. 1872-Present.
- Trademark Registration Records1870-Present.
Resources outside USU
Utah Representative to the Patent and Trademark Resource Center
- LibGuide from the University of UtahAlfred Mowdood, Librarian and Representative to the Patent and Trademark Resource Center, maintains this LibGuide for Patent, Trademark, and Copyright resources.
- USPTRC Presentation at Utah State University, October 2018Alfred Mowdood created a presentation for a workshop at Utah State University in October 2018. It offers and introduction and step-by-step search strategies for a variety of patent resources. See all presentations via this link.
Acknowledgement
This LibGuide is based upon trainings provided by Alfred Mowdood, University of Utah Librarian & Representative to the the U.S. Patent and Trademark Resource Center (USPTRC), and USPTRC staff hosted by the Government Publishing Office.
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“This library is a congressionally designated depository for U.S. Government documents. Public access to the government documents collection is guaranteed by public law. (Title 44 United States Code)”
