u.s. patent and trademark office Archives - Marketplace

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Delays skew patent system in favor of big corporations, some inventors say

by Andy Uhler

Jun 16, 2022

It can take years for a patent to be granted, unless the inventor can pony up extra cash for expedited handling.

The first patent was granted in 1790. Since then, the Patent and Trademark Office has issued about 11 million.

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Want to patent your invention? Here's what you need to know.

by Peter Balonon-Rosen

Feb 2, 2018

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is getting six times as many applications as it did in 1980. And then there's the backlog.

PAUL J.RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images

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