Local

You don't have to go much farther. Local industry experts can assist in the design, manufacture, and marketing of your invention.


​A-STATE SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER (SBTDC)
  • Provides general business consulting.
  • Includes reviewing product ideas, and providing a list of fulfillment services for patent, design and manufacture, and marketing.
  • Contact Robert Bahn, Lead Business Consultant, (870) 972-3517.      rbahn@astate.edu
  • http://asbtdc.org/lab2launch/            good link for upcoming innovative grants that could be available.








Arkansas State Library
The Arkansas State Library is designated a Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). As a PTRC, they can offer help with:
  • General information regarding Patents, Trademarks, Copyright and Trade Secrets
  • Patent and Trademark search assistance
  • Access to PubWEST and PubEAST Patent databases
  • List of Arkansas Patent attorneys
  • Backfile collections & current issues of Patents 
  • Supplemental Reference Materials
 
Need more information? Our USPTO trained reference staff is happy to answer questions and provide training to inventors, businesses, attorneys and their staff or other interested persons with their U.S. patent or trademark issues.
Please note that while reference staff can assist with using the patent resources, they cannot fill out forms or do the actual search. For legal advice, please contact a registered patent attorney or agent. More specialized questions should be directed to the USPTO.
For more patent or trademark information or assistance, call us at 501-682-2053 or email us at reference@library.arkansas.gov.
Also, here’s some information that might be helpful for your site:
State Trademarks:
To register a trademark within Arkansas, contact the Arkansas Secretary of State, Business and Commercial (UCC) Services at 888-233-0325. Or send mail to: Business/Commercial Services, 1401 West Capitol, Ste. 250, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201.
Search Trademarks Registered with the State of Arkansas (Secretary of State's Office):  




We have been notified that there is a new book on inventing available on the market by a 96 year old inventor.
  • He is an aeronautical engineer PhD.  The link to the book for sale on amazon is:

https://www.amazon.com/Wannabe-Inventor-Start-Here-invention/dp/1720130833/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1540413532&sr=8-1&keywords=alvin+sacks+books

​
  • If anyone buys the book before the November 15th meeting please bring your copy of the book so we can pass around at the meeting.

Arkansas State University has a new program. A-State Innovate
       http://astateinnovate.com/


PATENT ATTORNEYS

  • Steve Schrantz​
  • Steve Schrantz, Schrantz Law Firm, PLLC, 1000 East Matthews, Suite C, Jonesboro, AR 72401, (870) 275-7838.           schrantzlaw@gmail.com
Schrantz Law Firm in Jonesboro, AR - Craighead County is a business listed in the categories Attorneys, Copyright, Patent & Trademark Attorneys, Offices of Lawyers, Attorneys Patent Law, Legal Services and Attorneys Patent Trademark & Copyright Law and offers PATENTS TRADEMARKS COPYRIGHTS, AND COMMERCIAL LITIGATION and PATENT LAW. 
Categories: Attorneys, Copyright, Patent & Trademark Attorneys, Offices of Lawyers, Attorneys Patent Law, Legal Services, Attorneys Patent Trademark & Copyright Law    Certifications: REGISTERED PATENT ATTORNEY
Services:    PATENTS TRADEMARKS COPYRIGHTS, AND COMMERCIAL LITIGATION, PATENT LAW
 

  • Joe Calhoun, (501) 374-1700. Works in Little Rock but does come to Jonesboro on the third Thursday of each month. Joe Calhoun <Joe.Calhoun@CalhounLawFirm.com                                       http://calhounlawfirm.com/
  • Jonesboro Office    6140 Southwest Drive  870-9330110
Joe Calhoun has over twenty-five years of legal and related business experience in commercial  litigation and client counseling, especially in the intellectual property fields. His primary practice areas include the creation or registration of intellectual property rights, the guiding of clients’ commercialization of those rights, the assignment or licensing of such rights to or from others, and the enforcement of (or defense against) infringement claims.
After earning his  Bachelor of Science degree from Tulane University (Biology and Psychology), and graduating from law school at the University of San Francisco, he subsequently returned home to Little Rock, Arkansas as a law clerk at the Arkansas Court of Appeals. Joe then entered private practice with a well known Little Rock business law firm, departing as a partner on the eve of 2000 to better concentrate his practice in the areas of patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets and business competition.
"Joe's informative videos concerning intellectual property law topics can be found at    CalhounLawFirm.com
  or at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed4GaXHhlQc                  IP Law
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGh7IUg0A34                    Patenting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csrgDFQBX2M                 Copyright
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3twg_OrTJHU                    Trademark

​

Other attorney help with your product and business

Jamie Fugitt, an attorney with PPGMR Law PLLC, represents entrepreneurs, emerging companies and technology startups. He forms businesses, helps with private investment and other transactions, and helps with company operations. His practice includes contracts, corporate and securities, management and governance, intellectual property, internet and software matters, and general business transactions. Jamie also represents more traditional small and large businesses in the same practice areas.
Jamie is active in the entrepreneur and startup communities in Arkansas. He serves as a mentor for several startup and technology programs, including HubX – Life Sciences, the ARK Challenge, and the Cleantech Open. He also serves as the chairman of the Arkansas Fellowship, a nonprofit developing the next generation of Arkansas entrepreneurs and business leaders, and served as a member of the board of directors of the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub, a collaborative ecosystem of Arkansas innovators.
Jamie received his law degree from Harvard Law School.
 
JAMIE FUGITT
ATTORNEY – JAMIE@PPGMRLAW.COM
  
PPGMR LAW, PLLC
101 MORGAN KEEGAN DRIVE, SUITE A | LITTLE ROCK, AR 72202
P.O. BOX 251618 | LITTLE ROCK, AR 72225-1618
TEL: (501) 603-9000 | FAX: (501) 603-0556 | PPGMRLAW.COM 
 


INFORMATION ON 3D PRINTING AND PROTOTYPING
  • Jim Melescue, (870) 761-3191
Picture

Joel Gordon
Joel Gordon
Steam Rocket Engine LLC
Nation of Makers, Arkansas Ambassador for Making
(501) 626-1687

Joel Gordon’s experiences over a lifetime are diverse and they have shaped his philosophy
on learning and our need to Make.
“As humans,we are all tool users and we are gratified by what we create and accomplish.
Making is learning made visual. Simply said, we are all Makers”.
His training in electronics, coding, sculpture and mechanics has lead to an exciting career
that has taken him around the world and back again.
Joel has been an artist, designer and fabricator. He was scenic lead and engineer at the
world renowned Chicago Scenic Studios. He has created special effects and properties for
theatre, television and film and designed and created exhibits for world class museums of
art and science. As an entrepreneur and business owner, Joel consults and assists in
diverse product development and prototyping. He works with cities around the nation on
issues of place-making, talent retention and innovative economic development.

The Maker Movement
Following an invitation to attend a Maker focused reception at the White House, Joel was
chosen to participate on the White House Science and Technology Cabinet&#39;s efforts to
create the “Nation of Makers”. The Nation of Makers (NoM) is a 501c3 created to support
the Maker Movement in the U.S., he is currently the Ambassador to NoM for the State of
Arkansas.
An Arkansas native, he was the Co-founder and Executive Director of Arkansas’s first
Makerspace, The Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub. He is founder and CEO of Steam
Rocket Engine, an innovation and makerspace consulting firm.
His combined experiences have shaped his unique approach to economic development
and his passion for micromanufacturing and maker-business start up. Joel has always
worked with three essential tools; his heart, his mind, and his hands.
Credo
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and
give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”
Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Statewide

INJECTION MOLDERS

Another possible provider of making your product out of plastic.
 
KEVIN MONTGOMERY   I   Regional Account Executive
HEDSTROM PLASTICS
o: 419 282 5579   I   m: 419 357 3933
100 Hedstrom Drive, Ashland, OH 44805   I   kmontgomery@hedstrom.com
www.hedstrom.com

Molding the Future

 



CONTACTS FOR QUESTIONS AND INFORMATION
  • Phil Plyler, Director Client Services, Arkansas Manufacturing Solutions, www.mfgsolutions.org, 900 W. Capitol Avenue, Suite 320, Little Rock, AR 72201, (501) 683-4410 – office, (501)-837-6837 – mobile, (501) 683-4420 – fax.


Government Organizations

Innovate Arkansas     ​http://www.innovatearkansas.org/



TTAG 

Technology Transfer Assistance Grant Program (TTAG)
Purpose                    The Technology Transfer Assistance Grant Program (TTAG) assists Arkansas’ enterprises in developing or improving products or processes through the transfer of technical solutions to technology-based, industry-driven problems, thus enhancing that enterprise’s market competitiveness.

Program Description                      The Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) provides limited financial support for the transfer and deployment of innovative technology. AEDC will fund up to $3,750 of costs associated with transferring new or existing technology from a qualified applicant — such as a public or private enterprise, laboratory, college or university — to an enterprise based in Arkansas. Up to $5,000 of total project costs will be considered, with the first $2,500 funded by the Authority; the remaining $2,500 is cost-shared equally (50:50) between the Authority and the enterprise. Each enterprise is eligible to receive assistance for two technology transfer projects per year. Projects are evaluated on a competitive basis.

Eligible Users                   AEDC defines eligibility as broadly as possible to encourage submissions that reflect the greatest potential for project success. Qualified eligible applicants include one or more technology transfer resource providers who possess or have the capability to locate innovative technology to transfer to a specific Arkansas-based enterprise.

How to Participate               All qualified applicants must complete the on-line application at the link below. The application must address the transfer of innovative technology from a qualified Resource Provider to an Arkansas based enterprise.

EvaluationProjects will be evaluated by AEDC on every other Thursday (see schedule below). Evaluation criteria include the demonstration of support resources available to ensure probable project success, as well as technical and commercial feasibility of the project. The project must have a time frame of no longer than 90 days.

How to Use a TTAGSchedule of TTAG Meeting DatesApplication Deadline: Applications must be submitted by the Friday before the meeting in which they are to be reviewed.


Rules, Guidelines and FormThe following forms are pdf documents and require the free Adobe Reader to view or print.
Contact    Ross Herpin
Senior Manager Commercialization
900 West Capitol, Suite 400
Little Rock, AR 72201
(501) 682-8695
(501) 682-7499 (fax)
Email: RHerpin@ArkansasEDC.com

© 2018 Arkansas Manufacturing Solutions
  •   Privacy PolicyAEDC-MS OFFICE   •   900 West Capitol, Suite 400   •   Little Rock, AR 72201

Other Information 

Quick Guide to the difference between a Trademark and Copyright.   Suggested by Jim Colbert who teaches a group at his local library. Members of the group suggested the link below would be helpful in looking at Trademarks and Copyrights.

Trademarks and Copyrights: Understanding the Difference
https://aizmanlaw.com/trademarks-and-copyrights-understanding-the-difference/

More Intellectual Resources on Patents and Copyright and Trademarks   As suggested by AVA
​Thanks AVA for your input on this site. Robert

Patents, Trademarks & Copyrights
Introduction to Intellectual Property
Copyrights Part 1
What is Intellectual Property?

The Scope of Protection Offered by Intellectual Property Law
History and Sources of Intellectual Property Law

Governing Law, Courts and Agencies

Jurisdiction and Venue in Cases of Intellectual Property and Remedies Available
The Concept & History of Copyright and Sources of Law
Distinguishing Copyrights from Rights in Other Property
What Can be Copyrighted?
Initial Ownership and Section 201
What is a Trademark?
Acquiring Trademark Rights
Registration

§1052 Bars to RegistrationTrade Secret Protection Overview

The Uniform Trade Secret Act & State Acts

Contractual Agreements Protecting Trade Secrets

Defenses to Trade Secret Actions

Trademarks Part 2Loss of Trademark Rights §1064(3)

Infringement & Likelihood of Confusion
Trademark Dilution

Incontestability and Fair Use

Trademark Licensing & Assignment Agreements
The “I” Issues: The Internet & International Trademark

Patents 
Part 1Patents
Part 2
Origins & Underlying Concepts of Patent Law

Patentable Subject Matter

Utility, Novelty, Statutory Bar, & Nonobviousness

The Patent Application Process
Patent Infringement

Defenses to Patent Infringement

Remedies for Patent Infringement

Patent Licensing & Assignment Agreements

International Patent & the First-to-File System


Copyrights Part 2
Trademarks Part 1
Trade Secrets & State Laws Protecting Intellectual Property
Logistics of Ownership & Registered Copyrights

Music, Movies and Computer Software Copyrights
Exclusive Rights Granted Under Title 17, §106
Copyright Infringement & Remedies (Title 17, Chapter 5)
Licensing & Assignment Agreements
Fair Use Doctrine (Title 17, §107)

GENERAL
Link to the Arkansas State University Library on more info about Patents, Trademarks, etc:
http://libguides.astate.edu/smallbusiness/patents
https://www.sba.gov/tools/sba-learning-center/training/patents-trademarks-copyrights
Inventor’s Resources:  http://www.uspto.gov/inventors/ 
Scam prevention:  http://www.uspto.gov/inventors/scam_prevention/index.jsp
Patent Info:  http://www.uspto.gov/inventors/patents.jsp 
Trademark Info:  http://www.uspto.gov/inventors/trademarks.jsp
Patent vs. Trademark vs. Copyright:  http://www.uspto.gov/faq/g120005.jsp

​
It was recently suggested that invent tors need to be aware of the services of Innovate Arkansas.   I have some information (links) below that should be helpful.
 
Receive Innovate Arkansas Newsletter      Look under Newsletter   put in email address and hit Join
http://www.innovatearkansas.org/blog/post/1609/innovate-arkansas-new-website-launch
 
Link to apply to Innovate Arkansas    http://www.innovatearkansas.org/apply-now
 
Home page for Innovate Arkansas     http://www.innovatearkansas.org/
 
Check out their twitter feed      https://twitter.com/innovateAR
Facebook feed    https://www.facebook.com/Innovate-Arkansas-102614560967/
LinkedIn feed     https://www.linkedin.com/groups/1200907/profile


​​
​A Young Inventor's Guide to Trademarks and Patents:  
​   ​https://www.marcaria.com/articles/A-Young-Inventors-Guide-to-Trademarks-and-Patents.asp


More information from the USPTO including free services

Greetings from the USPTO Patent Pro Bono Team.
 
From April 2015 to March 2019, nearly 2,000 individuals have been matched with volunteer registered patent practitioners through the USPTO Patent Pro Bono Program. Inventors and innovators that come for assistance to Small Business Development Centers and Small Business Administration programs may be eligible for pro bono assistance in the preparation and filing of patent applications.
 
Registered patent practitioners are uniquely qualified to help financially under-resourced inventors and small businesses file patent applications. The local patent pro bono program in your region is available to match eligible inventors with the volunteer practitioners. Please see www.uspto.gov/probonopatents for more information. The local program screens applicants using criteria that include: (1) household income; (2) knowledge of the patent system; and (3) possession of an actual invention (not merely an idea).
 
The USPTO Law School Clinic Certification Program also assists inventors pro bono. The Law School Clinic Certification Program allows law students enrolled in a participating law school's clinic program to practice Intellectual Property Law before the USPTO under the strict guidance of a Law School Faculty Clinic Supervisor. The program currently consists of students practicing in both patent and trademark law before the USPTO. Please see www.uspto.gov/LawSchoolClinic for more information and a list of participating law schools.
 
We welcome the opportunity to speak to your organization about the Patent Pro Bono Program. Please feel free to contact us with any questions.
 
As a courtesy, we ask that you forward this email to the members or clients of your organization who may be interested. We believe that together we can make the Patent Pro Bono Program a lasting success.
 
The links to USPTO Inventor Assistance Resources in the attachments may be helpful to your group. We ask that you disseminate these links via email or by linking them directly from the SBA/SBDC website.
 
Thank you,
 
The USPTO Patent Pro Bono Team
Office of Enrollment and Discipline
United States Patent and Trademark Office
www.uspto.gov/probonopatents
probono@uspto.gov
 

The USPTO Pro Se Assistance Program
(https://www.uspto.gov/ProSePatents) helps inventors who have chosen to file patent applications without a patent attorney. A weekday phone line is open 8 AM – 5 PM EST for inventors to ask questions about their patent applications.
 
Email: innovationdevelopment@uspto.gov
Toll free phone number: 1-866-767-3848
Post Mail:
Pro Se Assistance, Mail Stop 24
P.O. Box 1450
Alexandria, VA, 22313-1450
 
The Patent Pro Bono Program
The USPTO Patent Pro Bono Program works with regional programs nationwide to match qualifying inventors with attorneys. They can be reached at probono@uspto.gov .
Website: www.uspto.gov/probonopatents
 
Patent Electronic Business Center
The Patent Electronic Business Center (EBC) assists customers with the various Patent Electronic Systems which include filing their electronic patent application submissions via the Electronic Filing System (EFS-Web) and with the review of patent applications in Public and Private PAIR, as well as supporting customers while Searching the Patent and Application Full-Text Image Databases. The Electronic Business Center serves the IP community with extended daytime and after-hours technical assistance on a wide range of support topics related to these systems. The EBC can be reached at phone numbers toll-free: 866-217-9197 and local: 571-272-4100 and by email at ebc@uspto.gov.
Website:  https://www.uspto.gov/Ebc
 
Scam Prevention
The USPTO offers a series of questions and tips for inventors to help them identify a reputable attorney or patent agent.
Website: https://www.uspto.gov/PatentScamPrevention
 
USPTO Search Engine
Before dedicating capital to an invention, many inventors find it helpful to search and see what is already out there. The USPTO Full Text and Image database offers searching of every patent database based on text queries.
Website: http://patft.uspto.gov/netahtml/PTO/search-adv.htm

 
Law School Clinic Certification Program
The USPTO has partnered with law schools around the country to create patent and trademark clinics for inventors. Law students work under the supervision of a qualified attorney on patent and trademark applications for inventors.
Website: www.uspto.gov/LawSchoolClinic
 
Patent and Trademark Resource Centers
The Patent and Trademark Resource Centers (PTRC) are a nationwide network of public, state, and academic libraries designated by the USPTO to support the public with trademark and patent assistance. PTRC staff are trained by the USPTO for inventor assistance.
Website: https://www.uspto.gov/PTRC
 
USPTO Offices
The USPTO has offices around the nation which are designed for certain regions. The offices are headquarters, Midwest, Rocky Mountain, West Coast and South/Southwest. Each office has a regional outreach officer and conducts outreach in its specific region.
 
USPTO Headquarters
USPTO Headquarters, located in Alexandria Virginia, serves the following states for outreach events: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, District of Columbia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Puerto Rico. Public events at headquarters can be found and registered for here: https://www.uspto.gov/about-us/events/atlantic-region-events
 
Silicon Valley Regional Office
The Silicon Valley Regional Office offers monthly programming that can be registered for online. A full list of events is accessible here: https://www.uspto.gov/SiliconValley . The Silicon Valley office serves the West Coast region, including Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.
 
Rocky Mountain Regional Office
The Rocky Mountain Regional Office, located in Denver Colorado, serves the Rocky Mountain region, including Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. A full list of events is accessible here: https://www.uspto.gov/RockyMountain
 
Midwest Regional Office
The Midwest Regional Office, located in Detroit Michigan, oversees patent programming for Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin. A full list of events for this office is available here: https://www.uspto.gov/Detroit . Walk-in services are available in every regional office.
 

 
Texas Regional Office
The regional office for the south and southwest, serving Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas, is located in Dallas, Texas. A full list of events is accessible here: https://www.uspto.gov/Texas
 
USPTO Events
All USPTO events open to the public – from public hearings to patent trainings – can be found and registered for here: https://www.uspto.gov/about-us/events
 
USPTO Fee Schedule
The fee schedule for patent application filing, searches, PCT filings and general service fees is available online.
Website:  https://www.uspto.gov/Fees
 
Certificate Training Course
The USPTO offers a free certificate training course in basic patent training. This program is designed to inform and educate independent inventors and small businesses about patents.
Website: https://www.uspto.gov/video/cbt/certpck/index.htm
 
Trademark Assistance Center
The Trademark Assistance Center is the main support center for all customers, from first-time filers to legal professionals and experienced trademark applicants. Trademarks staff can answer questions on a variety of trademark related topics.
Website:  https://www.uspto.gov/TrademarkAssistance
 
Trademark Videos
The Trademark Office (the “T” in PTO) has its own video series, which provides small businesses basic information on trademarks.
Website: https://www.uspto.gov/trademark/trademark-videos
 
 

BOOKS
Have a book that's been helpful to further your patent/inventing career? Let us know.
MAGAZINES
Let us know if there's a magazine that has helped you along your inventing journey. It just might help someone else.
VIDEOS