Home > United States Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO or USPTO) is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that provides patent and trademark protection to inventors and businesses for their inventions and corporate and product identification.The PTO, currently based in the Crystal City area of Arlington, Virginia, will complete a move to consolidated offices in Alexandria, Virginia by 2005.
Since 1991, the office has been fully funded by fees charged for processing patents and trademarks.
1 Mission
The mission of the PTO is to promote "industrial and technological progress in the United States and strengthen the national economy" by:
2 Patents
- Each year, the PTO issues thousands of patents to companies and individuals all around the world. As of August 2004, the PTO has issued nearly seven million patents.
- The X-PatentThe X-Patents are all the patents issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office from July 1790 (when the first U. patent was issued), to July 1836. The actual number is unknown, but 9,957 is the most accurate estimate. They were burned in a fires (the first 10,000 issued between 1790Events January 8 George Washington gives the first State of the Union Address. January 30 The first boat specialized as a lifeboat is tested on the River Tyne. February 1 In New York City the Supreme Court of the United States convenes for the first time. and 1836Events January Book by Maria Monk claims that she was sexually exploited in a Canadian convent February 3 United States Whig Party holds its first convention in Albany, New York. February 23 The siege of the Alamo begins in San Antonio, Texas. February 24) were destroyed by a fire; less than 3,000 of those have been recovered and re-issued with numbers ending in "X" to distinguish them from those issued after the fire.
3 External links
U.S. Dept. of Commerce
United States intellectual property law
Trademark law
Patent law
