Intellectual Property for The Startup and Small Business
1. Intellectual Property For The
Startup and Small Business
Andrew L. Eisenberg
www.leehayes.com
@LeeHayesLaw
2. About Your
Speaker
Andrew L. Eisenberg
• Partner – Lee & Hayes, PLLC
• Former General Counsel – Audiotoniq, Inc.
• Founder – Startup Law Austin
• Co-Founder – Small Business Council
• Co-Founder – First Success
• Registered Patent Attorney – USPTO
• Inventor - 3 issued patents and 1 application
- University of Michigan – B.S.E
- University of Notre Dame – J.D.
@andreweisenberg
Domain 711501 Alterra Parkway,
Suite 450 Austin, Texas 78758
512.456.5140
andrew@leehayes.com
5. PATENT
BASICS
• Inventive
• New
• Useful
• Not Obvious
• Public Disclosure
• US vs. Foreign Rights
• 1 Year Grace Period
• Inventor
• Cannot Copy
• Contributes to the Claims
• Term: Roughly 20 years from Filing
6. PATENT
PROVISIONALS
Place Holders
• Pros:
• Reduced Fees
• Editable
• Secures date
• Reduced requirements
• Never publishes
• Cons:
• Never issues
• Starts utility timer
• Only applicable to extent
subject matter is
described
8. HOW TO
PATENT
Not Just About
Your Idea
• Identify key concepts from
your product and future
products
• Identify competitors and
potential purchasers
• Identify related assets of the
competitors and purchasers
• Identify differentials
9. STRATEGY
Goal Portfolio • Initial Filing(s)
• Plan for Continuations
• Provisionals v. Utility
• Reserved Ideas
• Mix and Match
• Quality and Quantity
10. Balancing the
Costs of IP • Merchandising “cool factor”
• Counterfeiting
• Growth Stage
• Reverse Engineering
• License Opportunity
• Exit Strategy – Purchasers
• Timing
