Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Hi,

I`m a new member and signed up to get some help on a easy question.   I have a product idea that I have run a patent search on and found a patent that is exactly what I had in mind.  The patent was issued in 2001 and lists the Author and his city and state, but no other contact information. 

I`m interested in contacting this person, because I think his patent is a great idea and I don`t see any products on the market that use this idea.   I have done product searches and contacted companies that service this market and there`s no indication that this product has been developed.

How do I find a mailing address for the author of a patent?

Thanks for your help,

Jack  

Jack,

  Write a letter, or contact the patent office for the lawyer that may be involved. The patent office information is on there website.This information (public) and there are fee`s to keep up the patent........  so the patent office is in contact with the patent holder. Unless they abandoned it and then you may step in.

Yes.  For recently issued patents the entire prosecution history and the status of the payment of the maintenance fees is available on line.  If it is not available on line you can purchase the prosecution history from the PTO (but it will take a long time) and a number of services.  So you can find the inventor`s address and, failling that, the address of his/her lawyer. 

If the last maintenance fee has not been paid, the patent has expired and you can practice the invention without fear of an infringement lawsuit.  But be careful, an expired patent can be revived.

Good luck

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Norton R. Townsley
Patent Attorney/Professional Engineer
The above message is provided for general information purposes only and is not to be construed as legal advice.