Sacramento, CA, Patent Attorney

Entrepreneurship in this city is strong, as businesses, start-ups, and individuals continue to push forward technological advancements, including in the healthcare and biotech sectors. Innovation is further driven by institutions like the University of California, Davis (UC Davis), with its resources for students, faculty, and innovators.

The dynamic innovation in the city means developments need to be protected. Bold Patents understands the specific needs of shielding your intellectual property in Sacramento. We can bring you experienced patent law services to protect what you have made and profit from it.

Sacramento’s Industries and Institutions That Support Innovation

The current innovative landscape in Sacramento is primarily pushed by growing sectors like tech, healthcare, agriculture, and green technology. There are 4,638 employment establishments in professional, scientific, and technical services in Sacramento County in 2023, employing nearly 47,600 people. The healthcare and social services industry employs nearly 104,000 people across 4,378 establishments. As these industries grow, so does the need for new technology.

Sacramento further benefits from its location near Silicon Valley, the state capital, and major local companies, like Intel, Folsom, and Aerojet Rocketdyne. This also attracts existing companies, small businesses, and start-ups to the area. Such a hub of industry helps new entrepreneurs find resources and opportunities, and Sacramento start-up patents can give new businesses a boost when they are first beginning.

The existence of governmental agencies in the area, like the California Department of Health Care Services and the Sacramento District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, also drives innovation. Initiatives like UC Davis’s research and development funding, the Sacramento Innovation Program, and local incubators and accelerators help entrepreneurs at each step of their innovation process.

Culture and innovation in the area focus on sustainability in technology, making agricultural technology (AgTech) and clean energy technology a common area for patenting. The right Sacramento innovation patents help innovators capitalize on these growing fields and benefit many individuals. A Sacramento patent attorney can navigate this process while explaining the unique challenges and opportunities in Sacramento.

What Resources Are Available for Inventors in Sacramento?

There is a wide array of resources in the innovative ecosystem in Sacramento. These include:

• Incubators and accelerators. The Urban Hive and Hacker Lab are incubators that provide spaces for office work and meetings, along with opportunities for networking and building a strong community for innovators. Accelerators support start-ups and innovators as they refine their business models, develop inventions, and obtain funding.

• Industry organizations. Many organizations exist to support start-ups and inventors. The Sacramento Area Regional Technological Alliance, though it no longer exists, stood as another example of the collaboration that supports innovators in the area.

• UC Davis. The campus has research parks and facilities, along with its Office of Research for technology transfers. UC Davis patent services can help you navigate technology transfer systems, as they can work to commercialize and license your creation. UC Davis currently has over 1,290 active patents through its technology transfer program, and it has supported 119 start-ups in the past ten years.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has numerous resources available. The Western Regional Office is located in San Jose, on 26 S. Fourth Street. There are also several options for Patent and Trademark Resources Centers, including:

1. The California State Library, located at 914 Capitol Mall in Gillis Hall on the third floor, in Sacramento
2. The San Jose Public Library, located at 150 E. San Fernando Street in San Jose
3. The Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center at the University of Nevada-Reno, located on 1664 N. Virginia Street at Mail Stop 322 in Reno

The support of a patent attorney is crucial for taking advantage of these resources. They can also protect your patentable inventions as much as possible.

What Is a Patent?

A patent protects an invention you have made by giving you the right to prevent others from selling, using, making, offering to sell, or importing your invention in the U.S. While you don’t have exclusive rights to the patent, you can take legal action against those who infringe on your rights. This can give you a substantial competitive edge depending on the invention.

To be patentable, your invention must meet the following criteria:

1. It is non-theoretical
2. It is novel
3. It is non-derivative, or not an obvious change to an invention that exists
4. You have a clear description of the creation and use of the invention

These patent protections exist for a set period of time and only apply to U.S. states and territories. If you think you have an invention that is patentable, it is crucial that you talk with an attorney. An attorney can save you money by providing advice about the patentability of your invention and helping you file, increasing your chances of success.

Types of Patent Protections in Sacramento

There are three types of patents you can get through the USPTO: a utility patent, a design patent, and a plant patent. Each type of patent must meet the prior qualifications, in addition to its own unique definition. Understanding these patents is crucial for getting the right protection for your invention.

1. Utility patents. These protect the function of your invention. A utility patent is for your invention of a new machine, process, manufacture, or matter composition, as long as it is new or a useful improvement. This patent lasts 20 years, but utility patents require maintenance fees about three times in their lifetime to remain in effect.
2. Design patents. This type of patent protects the appearance of your invention. It is for a new and innovative ornamental design for an object of manufacture. It may be the shape or appearance of the object or a design applied to the object, if the applied design cannot exist without the object. 

The design patent can also protect both the shape and the applied design. These last for 15 years.

1. Plant patents. This patent protects a new variety of plant. It protects a plant variety that you invented or discovered through asexual reproduction. Mutants, hybrids, cultivated sports, and found seedlings are protected. This patent is not for tuber-propagated plants or plants discovered in the wild, uncultivated. 

A plant patent has additional rights that other patents do not, as the patent holder also has rights over the parts of the plant, such as the fruit or flowers. These patents last 20 years.

Plant and utility patents also have a type of patent called a provisional patent. This is filed when you have developed an invention, but do not have a complete application yet. You can file the provisional patent to secure a filing date as you refine your invention and draft the application, then file the complete patent within 12 months of the provisional patent. This can save a lot of time during the filing process.

What Are You Not Allowed to Patent?

There are certain things the USPTO doesn’t allow you to patent. This includes:

• Laws of nature
• Abstract ideas and suggestions
• Physical phenomena
• Inventions only for nuclear material or atomic energy used in an atomic weapon

When you hire a patent attorney, they can help you determine the patentability of your invention. There are also other methods of intellectual property protection, and your attorney can help you review how those options may benefit you.

Find Your Industry’s Patent Requirements

It’s important to get targeted patent guidance for your specific industry. Find your industry below to discover specialized patent requirements, strategic approaches, and how our attorneys can transform your ideas into protected intellectual property and assets.

FAQs

How Long Does It Take to Get a Patent in Sacramento, CA?

The time it takes to get a patent in Sacramento, CA, varies significantly. USPTO data has stated that it takes an average of 26.2 months from filing a patent application to receiving a final decision, not including applications that included a Request for Continued Examination.

Do I Need a Local Patent Attorney, or Can I Work With Someone Remotely?

Yes, you need a local patent attorney in Sacramento instead of a remote attorney. There are many benefits to having the local knowledge and resources of a local patent attorney.

What Types of Inventions Are Commonly Patented in Sacramento, CA, Given the Local Industries?

Industries like healthcare, biotech, agriculture, and clean energy push innovation, leading to California AgTech patents and other Sacramento technology patents in these industries.

How Do Local Resources, like UC Davis and Incubators, Support the Patent-Filing Process Here?

These local resources provide crucial support, such as technology transfer programs, facilities for research and development, funding and grants, and opportunities for collaboration.

What Are the Benefits of Having a Local Patent Attorney Who Understands the Sacramento Market?

Local patent attorneys understand the innovative culture, know the specifics of the technologies that are being developed in the area, and are more connected to important local resources.

Why Should I Work With Bold Patents to Secure My Sacramento Patents?

Bold Patents understands the specific industries that make up Sacramento’s innovative landscape, along with many other industries which local inventions are patented in. We can help inventors and entrepreneurs like you navigate the unique challenges and opportunities in Sacramento. The process of applying for a patent with the USPTO can be complicated, but our team has substantial experience and resources for succeeding with the process.

Our patent services are personalized to your needs, including your financial resources, business goals, and long-term wishes for your invention. We have helped many inventors in diverse industries secure robust protection for what they have created. Our firm can assist with each part of the patent application process, and we can support you in creating your patent portfolio and asserting your rights, including through pre-litigation services.

You can more effectively navigate the resources in Sacramento and empower your financial future with a patent by working with Bold Patents.

Work With Bold Patents to Protect Your Interests in Sacramento

Protect your bold invention. Contact Bold Patents today to schedule a consultation with our firm. We can determine your options for protecting your intellectual property in Sacramento.

Bold Patents J.D. Houvener, Esq., MBA, P.E.

Principal Patent Attorney, Bold Patents