Slew of newly opening Patent and Trademark Resource Centers help innovators protect their IP.
For inventors and entrepreneurs who cannot travel to get help in the early stages of protecting their intellectual property (IP), the USPTO is coming to you.
In the past year, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO Kathi Vidal sent letters to hundreds of libraries across the country inviting them to become Patent and Trademark Resource Centers (PTRCs). In that time, 21 new libraries have received a PTRC designation, with four grand openings being celebrated in October and November on the USPTO’s Create and Innovate Tour.
Now, innovators in Maryland, Arizona, and Mississippi will have the information, access, and support they need to protect their IP and grow their business. With nearly 100 PTRCs, more communities will find IP assistance right in their backyards.
PTRCs meet innovators and entrepreneurs where they are— providing help to inventors, creators, and entrepreneurs as they take the first steps to protect their IP.
PTRC representatives cannot provide legal advice, but they can:
- Show you how to use patent and trademark search tools
- Explain the application process
- Assist in using the USPTO’s directory of patent attorneys
- Provide classes on IP (varies by location)
- Help you locate patent and trademark owner and assignee information
- Connect you to USPTO resources
Learn more about PTRCs and find a library near you at www.uspto.gov/PTRC. If you are a library administrator interested in joining the PTRC program, email PTRCP@uspto.gov.
