Central CA SBDC Regional Network
Helping Your Business Start, Grow and Succeed

An outreach officer for the western region of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office talks about patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets, and why entrepreneurs and innovators should consider them in their business plan on this week’s free webinar presented by the Small Business Development Center at CSU Bakersfield. 

Host and director, Kelly Bearden is joined by Brent Fairbanks, Assistant Outreach Coordinator and Primary Patent Examiner for the Western Regional Office of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in San Jose. Fairbanks discusses the four types of intellectual property (IP), reasons to protect them, understanding early disclosure risks, and resources available through the USPTO.

Also joining the webinar is economist Mark Evans, emeritus professor from CSUB. Dr. Evans takes a look at recent economic trends and projections by the Federal Reserve. Bearden begins the webinar with updates on the Bakersfield Entrepreneurship Grant Program, weather-related disaster assistance for businesses from local, state, and federal governments, and capital resources programs.

This marks the 287th episode of the weekly “Webinar Wednesday” business series that provides news and information helpful to employers and business owners.

The CSU Bakersfield SBDC provides free one-on-one consulting to help small business owners. New and existing businesses can go to www.csubsbdc.com for more information or to sign up for assistance.

TIMESTAMPS - Link in bold blue below begins when Brent Fairbanks starts to speak
00:00 Intro
00:20 What’s up today August 16, 2023
02:01 Poll Question #1: During the pandemic over 22,000 California small businesses were surveyed. What percentage of those small businesses implemented some type of innovation during COVID?
04:05 Poll Question #2: Of those who responded to the survey, who were most likely to innovate?
06:25 Kelly introduces our resident economist, Dr. Mark Evans
06:54 Dr. Evans begins to speak
07:11 Dr. Evans begins his presentation: “Soft Landing” Game Plan
08:54 Federal Reserve FOMC Meetings and Webinar Wednesday Updates
09:54 Here’s Where We’ve Been: June 24 FOMC Meeting
11:16 Federal FOMC Median Projections & Actuals
13:32 Remaining Fed FOMC Meetings
13:43 Data Releases Since July FOMC Meeting
16:06 Upcoming Data Releases
17:36 Kelly rejoins – City of Bakersfield Entrepreneurship Grant Program is open
18:02 Entrepreneurship Grant Program – Basic Requirements and Process
18:25 2023 Winter storm, weather-related Disaster loans and information
18:57 Community Calendar: 27th Annual Hispanic Business Conference & Expo – Aug. 30
19:05 Bakersfield Foodservice Management Program
19:19 Community Calendar: Central Valley Native Economic Summit – Aug. 30
19:31 Community Calendar: Business Security Improvements Grant Program
20:15 Kelly introduces today’s speaker: Brent Fairbanks, Assistant Outreach Coordinator – Western Regional Office, Primary Patent Examiner – U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
21:14 Brent Fairbanks begins to speak
21:45 Brent Fairbanks begins the PowerPoint presentation: IP Strategy is a Business Strategy
22:16 Historical foundation of intellectual property
22:45 IP industries vs. Non-IP industries
23:29 IP and the U.S. Economy
24:03 IP strategy is a business strategy: Benefits to a full property
24:48 What is intellectual property?
25:44 Four types of intellectual property
26:51 Developing an IP strategy
28:05 Trade Secret
30:21 Copyright
31:30 Trademark
32:40 2022 Best Global Brands
33:38 Common law trademark
35:05 Federal registration advantage
35:53 Examples of trademarks
36:01 Non-traditional marks - colors
36:13 Non-traditional marks - scents
36:24 Non-traditional marks – sounds
36:34 Trade dress
36:58 Patent – what is a patent
37:47 Types of Patents
39:14 Top 15 classifications by California inventors
39:55 Patent types by California inventors
40:19 How does it benefit the public?
41:26 When should you file a patent application?
42:09 What are the risks of disclosure?
43:18 Enforcement
43:55 U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Resources
44:00 USPTO in Fiscal Year 2022
44:48 What’s next on your IP Journey? https://ipidentifier.uspto.gov/#/identifier/welcome
45:21 First-Time Filer Expedited Examination Pilot Program https://www.uspto.gov/initiatives/first-time-filer-expedited-examination...
46:28 Find help in your area https://www.uspto.gov/
47:03 Inventor Assistance Center (IAC)
47:46 Pro Bono Program Organization
48:04 Law School Clinics
48:32 Patent and Trademark Resource Centers (PTRC)
49:01 Upcoming USPTO Events
49:56 Kelly rejoins Brent
50:08 Questions and answers with attendees
 
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Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and a Grant with the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. All opinions, conclusions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA or the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact the California SBDC closest to you.