Apple Inc. (Cupertino, CA)

This document outlines a variety of options that can be used in the design of supra-aural and circumaural headphones. The designs that improve comfort for users and improve user control of the headphones are discussed. There are many electronic components and sensor positions that can be used. The features for convenience of the user, such as detachable cushions and automatically detecting the donning and doffing headphones are also addressed.

For a long time headphones have been utilized for many years. Consumers have become accustomed to the regular, almost annual advancements in size, performance and other design elements of various electronic devices that consumers use in their day-to-daylives including devices such as smart phones, tablet and laptop computers, and also listening devices such as headphones and earbuds. In the same way, although a variety of headphone designs exist in the market however, new and improved designs are constantly being developed to satisfy the needs of consumers and preferences.

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What is a patent?

A patent is granted by the government to safeguard an invention, patents grant the inventor with exclusive rights to create, use, sell and promote the invention? society is benefited when a brand new technology is brought into the marketplace. These benefits could be realized directly as people are able to accomplish feats previously unattainable and indirectly by the economic opportunities that innovation offers (business expansion, job creation).

Patent protection is sought by many pharmaceutical companies and university researchers for research and development. Patents can be granted to products, processes, or method of creating new materials. Patent protection has to be granted to an invention that is beneficial, novel, and not already known by others in the same area.

Patents recognize and give inventors a reward for commercially profitable inventions. They act as a motivator for inventors to come up with new ideas. Small businesses and inventors can be sure that they will earn the most return from their investment in technology development through patents. It means that they can earn a living from their work.

Patents are a crucial part of firms and can be used to:

Protect your innovative products and services

Improve the visibility and the value of your product’s presence on the market

Differentiate yourself and your products from the competition.

Access business and technical expertise and other information;

Avoid accidentally using third-party content or risk losing valuable information or creative outputs as well as other outputs.

Patents transform inventor’s knowledge into a valuable asset which creates new opportunities to create jobs through joint ventures and licensing.

Investors in the commercialization and development of technology will find small businesses with patent protection appealing.

Patenting can generate new ideas and new inventions. This information could be protected by patents.

Patents can serve as an obstacle to unscrupulous third parties who profit from an invention’s efforts.

Commercially successful patent-protected technology revenues could be used to finance technological research and development (R&D), which will boost the likelihood of improved technology in the future.

You can leverage intellectual property ownership to convince investors and lenders that your product is a viable commercial value. A single patent could provide numerous financing options. Patents as well as other IP assets are able to be utilized as collateral or security for debt financing. Investors can also see your patent assets in order to boost their valuation of your company. Forbes and others have noted that each patent could increase between $500,000 and one million dollars to company valuation.

A well-designed business plan is crucial for startups. It must be built on IP and demonstrate how your product/service stands out. In addition, investors will be impressed if you demonstrate that you have IP rights are secure or are in the process of becoming secure and that they are in line with your business plan.

It is essential to keep your patent protection applications secret If you are the inventor of an invention. The public disclosure of an invention before filing it could often erode its originality and render it unpatentable. Therefore, pre-filing disclosures (e.g. for test-marketing, investors, or other business partners) should only be filed following the signing of a confidentiality agreement.

There are a variety of patents and knowing these is vital to safeguard your invention. Patents for utility cover processes and machine creations. Design patents cover ornamental designs. Patents for utility are the most effective as they protect the proprietor from copycats and other competitors. Frequently they are granted for improvements or modifications to existing inventions. Utility patents can also be used to improve or modify existing inventions. For instance, a procedure patent will be able to cover actions or methods for performing one specific thing, whereas a chemical composition will include an assortment of ingredients.

What is the average length of a patent? Patents for utility last for 20 years after the earliest date of filing, however their expirations may be extended due to delays in the patent office, for example.

Are you considering the patentability of your ideas? Since patents are only granted to applicants who file first, you need to file quickly – call PatentPC to speak with a patent attorney PatentPC to file your invention today!

A patent search is a must when you are drafting the patent application. This allows you to look at other concepts and provide an understanding of the potential of them. You’ll be able narrow down the nature of your idea. Additionally, you’ll be able to be aware of the current state of art in your area of invention. This will assist you in understand the scope of your invention and help prepare you to file your patent application.

How to Search for Patents

Patent searches are the first step in obtaining your patent. You can do a google patent search or do a USPTO search. Patent-pending is the name used to describe the product protected by the patent application. You can use the public pair to locate the patent application. After the patent office has approved the patent application, you are able to conduct a patent number search to locate the issued patent and your product has now been granted a patent. You can also utilize the USPTO search engine. Read on for more details. A patent lawyer or attorney can help you through the process. In the US, patents are issued by the US trademark and patent office, also known as the United States patent and trademark office, which also reviews trademark applications.

Are you interested in finding similar patents? Here are the steps:

1. Think of terms that describe your invention according to its function and composition or use.

Write down a short, but precise explanation of your invention. Do not use generic terms like “device”, “process” or “system”. Instead, think about synonyms for the terms you chose initially. Also, keep track of important technical terms as well as key words.

Utilize the following questions to help you identify key words or concepts.

  • What is the objective of the invention Is it a utilitarian device or an ornamental design?
  • Is the invention a method of creating something or performing some function? Is it an object?
  • What is the nature and purpose of the invention? What is the physical structure of the invention?
  • What is the purpose of the invention?
  • What are the terms in the technical field and keywords that describe an invention’s nature? A technical dictionary can assist you to locate the right words.

2. These terms enable you to look for pertinent Cooperative Patent Classifications using the Classification Search Tool. If you are unable to locate the appropriate classification to describe your invention, scan through the class Schemas (class schedules) and then try again. Think about substituting the words you use for describing your invention, if you don’t receive any results from your Classification Text Search with synonyms similar to the words you used in Step 1.

3. Go through the CPC Classification Definition to confirm the relevancy of the CPC classification that you have found. The link to a CPC classification definition is available when the classification you have selected is a blue square with a “D” to the left. CPC classification definitions will assist you in determining the classification’s boundaries so that you can select the most appropriate. Furthermore the definitions may include research tips and other suggestions that may be useful to further study.

4. Retrieve patent documents with the CPC classification from the Patents Full-Text and Image Database. You can search and narrow down the most relevant patent documents by focusing first on the abstract and drawings representative of.

5. This selection of patent publications is the most appropriate to examine for similarity to your idea. Be sure to read the claims and specification. You may find additional patents by referring to the patent examiner and the applicant.

6. Search for patent applications that have been published using the CPC classification you picked in Step 3 of the Applications Full-Text and Image Database. It is possible to use the same method of search as Step 4, narrowing your search results to the most relevant patent applications by looking at the abstract and drawings that appear on each page. After that, take a close look at the patent applications that have been published with particular attention paid to the claims and additional drawings.

7. You can look up additional US patent publications using keywords in the AppFT and PatFT databases, as well as the classification search of patents that are not from the United States according to below. Also, you can utilize web search engines to search for non-patent-related literature disclosures about inventions. Examples:

  • Add keywords to your search. Keyword searches may turn up documents that are not well-categorized or have missed classifications during Step 2. For example, US patent examiners often supplement their classification searches with keyword searches. Think about the use of technical engineering terminology rather than everyday words.
  • Search for foreign patents using the CPC classification. Then, re-run the search using international patent office search engines such as Espacenet, the European Patent Office’s worldwide patent publication database of over 130 million patent publications. Other national databases include:
  • Search non-patent literature. Inventions can be made public in many non-patent publications. It is recommended that you search journals, books, websites, technical catalogs, conference proceedings, and other print and electronic publications.

To review your search, you can hire a registered patent attorney to assist. A preliminary search will help one better prepare to talk about their invention and other related inventions with a professional patent attorney. In addition, the attorney will not spend too much time or money on patenting basics.