References and Reading

        For background reading on IP issues, you can click on the Yahoo Search Link.  This internet search provides an excellent selection both national and international intellectual property resources.  One of the best lists can be found at @BRINT (Business Resources on the Internet)- Legal Resources page.   (In the words of the Wall Street Journal, @BRINT is a "Premier Collection of Contemporary Business, Management and Technology Issues" and well worth bookmarking as a general business reference.)

        Nolo's legal encyclopedia provides brief summaries of the law as it relates to copyrights, patents, and trademarks. This is valuable background reading for anyone new to the area of IP, such as a product manager or a scientist who wishes to protect their invention.

Patents Searches and Patent Information

      It is possible to perform a preliminary search of patent abstracts to get rough idea of what patents exist in your area of interest.   There are several searchable databases for patent titles and abstracts, including the USPTO (US Patent and Trademark Office, patents since 1976 are on line), the European Patent Office, and the IBM Patent Server .