Areas of Practice
KORUS PATENT provides comprehensive IP services, including filing and prosecution of utility and design patents, PCT U.S. national stage entries, and trademarks. We also deliver patentability, freedom-to-operate, and validity/invalidity opinions, and advise on IP monetization strategies such as licensing and commercialization.
Patent Prosecution
Patents protect new technical inventions and designs for a set period (20 years from the filing date for utility patents; 15 years from the issuance for design patents). Patents cover not only cutting-edge technology but also small, everyday ideas. For example, the simple coffee-cup sleeve that slides onto a hot cup (U.S. Patent No. 5,425,497) became a powerful patent asset. In return, however, the inventor must fully disclose the details of the invention, a requirement rooted in the goal of advancing technology for society as a whole.
Trademark Prosecution
A trademark is a symbol that tells consumers the "source" of a product or service. By protecting the goodwill built up in a particular logo or brand name, trademarks help maintain order in the marketplace. Counterfeit goods are illegal precisely because they betray consumer expectations and distort a brand's trust function. Notably, trademarks can theoretically be protected indefinitely, as long as they are properly used and renewed, making them highly valuable as long-term assets.
IP Monetization (Sale & Licensing) Consultation
IP monetization means converting IP (patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets) from “rights you own” into revenue or enterprise value, most commonly through sales (assignments) and licensing.
Preparation of Legal Opinion
Competent opinions on patentability, freedom-to-operate, and patent validity are essential to sound business decision-making.
Patentability refers to whether an invention qualifies for patent protection under applicable patent laws. An invention is deemed patentable only when it satisfies several statutory requirements, including patent-eligible subject matter (35 U.S.C. §101), novelty (35 U.S.C. §102), non-obviousness (35 U.S.C. §103), and adequate disclosure (35 U.S.C. §112), among others.
Freedom-to-Operate (FTO), also known as a clearance analysis, is a legal assessment that determines whether a product or service can be commercialized without infringing the valid intellectual property rights held by others.
Patent Validity/Invalidity Analysis involves evaluating whether a given patent is likely enforceable or, conversely, vulnerable to invalidation under the patent laws.