The purpose of this guide is to help you find information about patents (exclusive right granted for an invention) trademarks (any word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination of these things that identifies your goods or services), and copyright (protects original works of authorship as soon as an author fixes the work in a tangible form of expression), which are all types of intellectual property. What is intellectual property? The United States Patent and Trademark Office defines it as: "Creations of the mind - creative works or ideas embodied in a form that can be shared or can enable others to recreate, emulate, or manufacture them."
There are four main ways to protect intellectual property - patents, trademarks, trade secrets, and copyright. Click on the tabs at the left to learn more about patents, trademarks, and copyright.
R.M. Cooper Library at Clemson University is a Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
As a PTRC, we provide reference assistance and outreach to the public on patent and trademark-related matters, offer patent and trademark training, and can demonstrate how to use search tools to conduct a patent or trademark search. The Library is open to the public, and there is no charge to use our materials and services.
Patent Pro Bono Program : The Program provides free legal assistance to under-resourced inventors interested in securing patent protection for their inventions.
Law School Clinic Certification Program: Includes over 60 participating law school clinics that provide legal services pro bono to the public, including to inventors, entrepreneurs, and small businesses, if accepted as a client.
Patent Practitioner Search: A database of patent practitioners eligible to represent others before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in patent matters.
