Re: Preliminary Patentability Search

Dear Inventor:

A patent will enable you to own your idea and make money from it. Nobody will be able to legally make, sell or use the invention unless you give permission and get paid. Patent rights can enable you to profit from your invention in the U.S. and, if desired, around the world.

To qualify for patent protection, an invention does not have to be totally new. It can be an improvement on existing items or methods. Even a small functional or decorative improvement may be patentable. An improved, decorative appearance to a product is protected by a design patent, which lasts for 14 years. A utility patent protects functional improvements to a product or process. Once issued, utility patents last for 20 years from the filing date of the patent application.

These valuable rights can be lost forever by public exposure of the idea. In the U.S., an inventor only has 1 year to file a patent application after the initial public exposure of the invention. In many foreign countries, if any public exposure occurs prior to the filing of the patent application, others are free to use the invention. To avoid losing your patent rights, you need to take the next step without delay.

That step is to have a professional patent search and legal evaluation by a registered patent attorney. Thousands of inventors have chosen our law firm to conduct their patent search and provide this evaluation. We will consider whether your invention is new and not obvious in view of prior patents found in a patent search. Our search report will advise you about filing a patent application to obtain "patent pending" status for your invention.

Our law firm has a unique client-friendly approach and our strategic location near the Patent Office enables us to conduct patent searches efficiently. This proximity to the Patent Office provides a significant, cost-saving benefit for our clients, allowing us to provide personalized, professional services at reasonable fees.

Our searches, like most of our services, are provided on a flat fee basis, rather than at expensive hourly rates. If you are an independent inventor, small business, nonprofit, or educational institution, our charge for a patentability search of available patents in the U.S. Patent Office is $550.00 -- which includes a written report and patent copies. Our search fee for large businesses and for registered patent practitioners is $1050.00. Typically, we can complete the search within two weeks. Our affordable service allows you to benefit from the patent system without making a significant investment in this important, first step.

You don't need to make a prototype to patent your invention. To get started, all you need to do is fill out the online Patent Search Request Form. Submit the form to us online, by fax (703-486-7000), toll free fax (if inside the United States or Canada) at 1-888-4-PATENT (1-888-472-8368) or mail.

The information and material you provide to us about your idea will be maintained in complete confidence, in accordance with the attorney-client privilege. A Certificate of Confidentiality -- personally signed by me -- confirms that your invention will be safe with our law firm.

If you have questions, please call us at (703) 486-1000, or toll free (if inside the United States or Canada) at 1-800-4-PATENT (1-800-472-8368).

Very truly yours,

LITMAN LAW OFFICES, LTD.

P.S. It is important to have confidence in your idea. To profit from your invention, you need to take a chance. Take the next step and request that our law firm provide you with a patent search and legal evaluation of your invention. You can visit the Invention Registry on our website to document your invention right away -- and for free. You can also start your patent search by submitting your request on the web site.