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EDSGN 100: Introduction to Engineering Design

Professors Granlund and Plucinski

Patents

Patent law is very important in design and engineering because patents can tell you if someone else already has a claim on a product design.

  • Please note that while PhD students must always assign patent licenses to Penn State, undergraduate students typically do not!
    • The only exception is if a student receives compensation for their research by Penn State.

Searching patents is an art unto itself, but if you'd like to explore these, take a look at this research guide set up just for patents:

Pro Bono Assistance

The Penn State Law Intellectual Property Clinic provides pro bono (free) intellectual property (IP) counseling services to Pennsylvania individuals, startups, and small businesses with limited financial resources. IP includes patents, trademarks, copyright, and trade secrets.

  • Contact: Andrew Sherman, J.D., asherman@psu.edu

Pro Se Assistance

The Office of Innovation Development of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office provides Pro Se (in one's own behalf) assistance and resources for inventors filing for a patent without the help of an attorney or agent.