This document provides an orientation to United States utility patents, including: - A brief history of patents in the US dating back to the 1600s and key patent acts. - An overview of the three branches of government that are involved in patent law: the executive (USPTO), legislative (Congress), and judicial branches (Federal Circuit and district courts). - An explanation that a utility patent provides the patent owner the right to exclude others from making, using, selling or importing the patented invention for up to 20 years.

1. United States Utility Patents: Introductions and Orientation Kristine H. Johnson MacMillan, Sobanski & Todd, LLC [email_address]

4. Geographical Orientation  USPTO  Cornell  Kristi

5. Geographical Orientation United States Patent & Trademark Office in Alexandria, Virginia

11. US Federal Judicial Districts

15. Questions? Please Ask! Thank you to Ms. Jenna Cogswell at MST who helped prepare these slides Contact us at [email_address] or 419.255.5900 for permission to use these slides, or to ask questions. We are happy to let others use these slides, but we would like to know who they helped!