Patent Resources for Texas Inventors

Whether you are filing your first patent or expanding a portfolio, these guides cover the essentials of patent law, costs, and strategy. Each article is written by Shannon Warren, a patent attorney with more than two decades of combined engineering and legal experience and an extensive portfolio of issued US patents.

Getting Started

• How to Patent an Invention in Texas — A step-by-step walkthrough of the Texas inventor’s path from idea to issued patent.
• Patent Process Overview — An end-to-end look at what happens during a patent application, from filing through examination to grant.
• Utility Patent Application Process — Step-by-step walkthrough with flowchart covering the full utility patent process.
• Design Patent Application Process — Step-by-step walkthrough with flowchart for design patent filings.
• Types of Patents: Utility, Design, and Plant — Learn which type of patent fits your invention and how each one differs in scope and protection.

Costs & Planning

• How Much Does a Patent Cost in Texas? — Realistic cost ranges for patent applications, including USPTO fees, attorney fees, and drawings.
• Provisional Patent Application — How a provisional filing can secure an early priority date while you refine your invention.
• Patent Maintenance Fees — A breakdown of the post-grant fees required to keep a utility patent in force for its full term.

Working with an Attorney

• What Does a Patent Attorney Do? — The specific roles a patent attorney plays during drafting, prosecution, and portfolio management.
• Working with a Patent Attorney — Practical tips for building a productive attorney-client relationship throughout the patent process.
• Patent Attorney for Startups — How early-stage companies can protect core technology without overextending their budget.
• Patent Attorney for Small Business — Strategies small businesses can use to build patent protection that supports growth.

Protecting Your IP

• The One-Year Rule: Patent Filing Deadlines — If you publicly use or sell your invention, you have one year to file. Miss it and your rights are gone.
• Patent vs. Trade Secret — When to patent an invention and when keeping it as a trade secret makes more strategic sense.
• How to Do a Patent Search — How to search existing patents and prior art before investing in a full application.
• Software Patent Eligibility — Current rules on patenting software inventions after Alice and recent USPTO guidance.
• Design Patent vs. Utility Patent — A comparison of design and utility patents and when to file one, the other, or both.
• International Patent Protection — An overview of PCT filings and strategies for extending patent rights outside the United States.

Have questions about your invention? Contact Shannon Warren or request a free introductory call.

Looking for real-world examples? Browse the Innovation Showcase to see patents Shannon has helped secure for inventors and companies across Texas.