USPTO

It's #SmallBusinessWeek, and we're proud to support the inventors, entrepreneurs, and startups who power our economy. Three ways the USPTO can help your small business: 1️⃣ You can receive a 60%–80 % discount on most patent-related fees if you qualify as a small or micro entity 2️⃣ Our Inventors Assistance Center is staffed by former patent examiners who can help guide you through the patent process 3️⃣ Through our Patent Pro Bono Program, qualified small businesses and inventors can receive free legal assistance from volunteer patent attorneys Whether your business just getting started or looking to grow, we're here to help you protect your inventions and bring them to market.

✨ What a magical time celebrating the newest class of inductees into the National Inventors Hall of Fame! Their inventions enable earlier detection of disease, enhanced vaccinations through structure-based design to stabilize and modify surface proteins of viruses, developed biological pest management, and more. Actress and mathematician Danica McKellar hosted the awards ceremony to recognize these incredible inventors who have made significant contributions to the world. Special thanks to our partners at National Inventors Hall of Fame for honoring the inventors, as well as U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and World Intellectual Property Organization – WIPO Director General Daren Tang for joining in the celebration! 2025 Living Inductees: • John R. Adler Jr., CyberKnife Stereotactic Radiosurgery • James Fujimoto, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) • Barney Graham, Structure-Based Vaccine Design • Kerrie Holley, Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) • David Huang, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) • Pamela Marrone, Biological Pest Control • Jason McLellan, Structure-Based Vaccine Design • Richard Schatz, Palmaz-Schatz Coronary Stent • Eric Swanson, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) 2025 Historical Inductees: • Karl Bacon, Tubular Steel Track Roller Coaster • Tom Blake, Surfboard Design • Emil Freireich, Continuous-Flow Blood Cell Separator • Virginia Holsinger, Dairy Product Innovations • George Judson, Continuous-Flow Blood Cell Separator • Ed Morgan, Tubular Steel Track Roller Coaster • Virginia Norwood, Multispectral Scanner • Charles Richard (C.R.) Patterson, Carriages

Vintage Miles Davis concert posters inspired talented USPTO graphic designer Mel G. as she created this fantastic installation at the USPTO headquarters building about music in IP, to celebrate World Intellectual Property Day. "The muted, simple color palette, white margin around the perimeter, and lively saxophonist graphic are meant to help convey the feeling of looking at an old jazz poster," she said. She said her favorite part of the project was working with a wide array of USPTO staff with expertise in patents, trademarks, trademark secrets, and copyrights. "I'm very proud of this poster series and all the hard work the team contributed to bring it to fruition," she said. #TeamUSPTO #Creators #WorldIPDay #MilesDavis #MusicInIP

Shine bright 🌟 USPTO Acting Director Coke Morgan Stewart welcomed the 2025 National Inventors Hall of Fame inductees for the Illumination Ceremony at the museum. Inventors add their names and patent numbers to the Gallery of Icons to shine brightly along with other visionary inventor inductees at the National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum at the USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, VA.

The white gloves are coming on as a special exhibit is added to the National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum. Kara Klatt, museum and archival supervisor, gives us a look into the months-long planning efforts to make room for artifacts showcasing the journey of influential inventors to be honored at this year's induction ceremony. Come with us to get a behind-the-scenes look into the new exhibit. Visit the museum, which is located inside the USPTO headquarters building in Alexandria, Va., Monday to Friday and the first Saturday of every month.

These aren’t the standard friendship bracelets that adorn teens’ wrists – these are intellectual property power bracelets – with yes, an element of fashion. Dallas-area Girl Scouts of the USA visited the USPTO’s Southwest Regional Outreach Office to learn about intellectual property protections through discussions with our team of experts and a hands-on science activity. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)'s North Texas Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory also joined the event to share career experiences – especially with innovative gadgets they use on the job. In the hands-on activity exploring ultraviolet light, the Girl Scouts created bracelets with pipe cleaners and beads – some UV, some non-UV. When exposed to UV light, the color of UV beads changed, but remained the same for the non-UV beads. The UV light beads also glowed in the dark because their phosphor component stored energy from the UV light.

A self-described “contrarian,” neurosurgeon and inventor John Adler believes sometimes you need to “break a few rules if you’re going to change the world.” Now, he’s joining an elite group of rule-breakers – err, no – innovators as a 2025 inductee into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Adler invented the CyberKnife stereotactic radiosurgery, which enabled precision robotic, image-guided therapeutic radiation without skeletal fixation. The CyberKnife is used around the world to noninvasively ablate tumors and other abnormal lesions anywhere in a patient’s body, according to the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Read about Adler in our latest Journeys of Innovation story: https://lnkd.in/e2-dyTVu

Have you ever walked into a store you’ve never been in before and knew exactly where the products were based on the layout?     That’s the power of federal trademark registration.    Federal trademark registration goes beyond logos and slogans – which you should definitely register for protection – to lesser-known protections of colors, shapes, designs, scents, sounds, and more that identify the source of a product or service, distinguishing it from those of other companies.     Small business owners can register trademarks for trade dress protection, which includes the layout of a space. Think Apple, Inc.’s sleek and modern stores, which yes, are protected with federal trademark registration. Your small business’s uniform colors, and product shapes and patterns are all features that may be eligible for federal trademark registration.     Ready to learn more? We have free resources to help you get started: https://bit.ly/3hswGDN    #SmallBusinessWeek #Trademarks #Entrepreneur #IntellectualProperty #SmallBusinessOwner

In honor of Public Service Recognition Week, we want to thank every member of our agency’s team. Here’s how they describe the experience of serving American innovators at the USPTO through the hard work of patent examining, trademark examining, and many other critical roles: “The work environment is full of friendly, supportive, intelligent people who are passionate about the subject matter.” – Komal V. “A general spirit of camaraderie exists among staff at our agency in our common mission to promote and protect intellectual property." – Michael K. “The best part of my job is solving problems and answering questions, no matter how small." – Sonia P. “There is something very satisfying about seeing the real-world impact of inventions that have come across my desk.” – Clint O. Read more about their career journeys: https://bit.ly/39to8c4 To each and every member of our agency’s team—thank you. The mission-driven work of the USPTO happens because of you, all in support of fostering America’s innovation, competitiveness, and economic growth. #PSRW #TeamUSPTO #Service #ServiceToOthers #PublicServants #PublicService

Filmmaker George Lucas' company, Lucasfilm., received one of its first design patents for a toy figurine based on Boba Fett in 1982. Numerous utility patents, design patents, and registered trademarks are based on the inhabitants of his galaxy far, far away. Design patents cover characters and objects like Yoda, Snowtroopers, and Snowspeeders. Characters like Darth Vader, Chewbacca, and R2-D2, and popular phrases like "May the Force be with you," have registered trademarks for products and services ranging from clothing to Christmas tree ornaments. #StarWarsDay