InventionsIntellectual Property: Primer, Search, and Strategyby John Calvert of the United States Patent and Trademark OfficeSee PowerPoint here Wednesday, February 25, 2009 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Room 111, UAH Library Topics:Basics - Learn about basics of intellectual property, the Constitutional mandate for federal oversight and the differences between patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. Real life examples are given of how each type of IP protection is used, with emphasis on how each type of protection fits within the day-to-day life of an engineer.Search - Learn how to navigate the USPTO search engine. Learn how to judge if your invention, innovation or improvement is new, non-obvious and useful by comparing your discoveries with the "prior art," i.e. patents, published patent applications and other published material. Intellectual Property Strategy - Learn about patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets with real-life examples of how each type of IP can be used. Topics include: types of patents, application types, and the responsibilities of the patentee; trademark uses and types, and how to enforce a trademark; copyright distinctions; how trade secrets are used today, what they can be used for, the responsibilities individuals have once a trade secret is developed, and what to do when a trade secret is offered to you. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office United Inventors Association 
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