Smartlife

On the surface, it seems like filing a patent shouldn’t be too difficult: you describe your idea, fill out forms, and send it off to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). But there’s a very important step missing from that process: the search for prior art. When filing a patent, it’s important to be sure that no one else has filed a patent on the idea previously, as well as to be aware of any related patents that another company may have filed. Such a search can require a…