A brilliantly clear and up-to-date patent guidePatent law is changing, and this bestselling primer on patent law has up-to-date information on the America Invents Act, the most important change to American patent law in two centuries.Packed with detailed information, Nolo's Patents for Beginners explains how to:document your inventionacquire patent rights"e;read"e; a patent applicationunderstand how and why to make a patent searchdetermine patent ownershipfind patent informationunderstand international patent lawdecide whether to file a provisional patentNolo's Patents for Beginners provides plain-English explanations of patent law, patent and invention resources and a glossary of patent terms. The 8th edition is completely updated to cover all changes in patent law and regulations, including the latest on filing for provisional patent status.