The eLearning Center for Gatlin Education Services

Overview

A design patent protects the appearance of an object. It is directed at protecting surface ornamentation, configuration of parts, shape of the article or a combination of these elements. A utility patent, on the other hand, is obtained to protect the novel, non-obvious functional designs.

This course will focus primarily on design patents. The student will learn how to identify patentable designs and how to conduct free patent searches. You will learn the differences between design patents, utility patents, trademarks and copyright. You will learn how to prepare drawings for patent submittal and how the patent submittal and review process works.

The student must take a multiple-choice quiz consisting of eleven (11) questions at the end of this course to obtain PDH credits.

This course cannot be taken to fulfill your continuing education requirements in the state of New York since the course does not fall under the category of "Areas of Practice" or "Law/Ethics".

Specific Knowledge or Skill Attained

This course teaches the following specific knowledge and skills:

  · Learn how protecting designs may play a role in protecting your company's intellectual property and market share.
  · How to identify potentially patentable designs
  · Requirements for preparing patent drawings for design patents
  · Protection under the copyright law for designs
  · The interplay of design patents with trademark and copyright law
  · How long trademark protection for product designs is available
  · How long design patent protection lasts
  · How long design protection under copyright law lasts
  · Other protection that may be available for product designs
  · Protection under trademark law for product designs
  · How to conduct free design patent searches
  · Examples of subject matter granted design patent protection by the USPTO
  · The design patent process, including costs

State Board Acceptance

This course can be used by professional engineers to fulfill PDH requirements mandated by state and provincial licensing boards. Decatur Professional Development is an approved provider of continuing education in all states that pre-approve course providers. In all other states that mandate continuing education for engineers, it is the individual engineer's responsibility to determine the suitability of activities for PDH credit. The state boards typically accept online* courses that cover technical, managerial** or ethical content and which are relevant to the practice of engineering. The course must have a clear purpose or objective with a content that will maintain, improve or expand the skills and knowledge of the licensee's field of practice. For questions about your mandatory PDH requirements, visit the website of your state licensing board.

This course cannot be taken to fulfill your continuing education requirements in the state of New York since the course does not fall under the category of "Areas of Practice" or "Law/Ethics".

*Online courses are accepted by all state licensing boards that mandate continuing education. Other than New York (which limits online courses to 18 PDH) and Iowa (which limits online courses to 6 PDH), there are no limits placed by other states on the number of hours that can be earned through online continuing education. Consult with your state licensing board if you have any questions about the acceptability of online courses.

**The New York State Board of Engineers does not accept general office management courses, but will accept project management courses that are offered by an approved provider and that are technical in nature and contribute to the engineer's professional practice.