Andrew Surwilo and Thomas Shipley, with their powerful leadership and exemplary style of management, has led the company through a growth curve that is unprecedented in recent times. The dynamic leader has ensured that ACMG does not just remain a direct response company but focuses on the needs of their customers and delivers to the highest levels of satisfaction.

Mainly targeting the core baby boomer segment of the market, Atlantic Coast Media Group has taken upon itself the huge responsibility of developing and providing information and proprietary products, which makes our lives that much easier to enjoy.

The co-founders and Co-CEOs, Andrew Surwilo and Thomas Shipley have valuable expertise of handling various entrepreneurial projects in their long and distinguished careers before starting ACMG. Andrew Surwilo is credited with creating and deploying innumerable fee-based continuity programs, all of which have been huge commercial successes. He is also gaveshape and structure to businesses that ran on business software applications.

Andrew Surwilo was also the moving force behind Premiere Fitness and Welfare, a fee-based lifestyle program. The project was a stupendous success, generating over 400,000 members and $25 million in revenue in a short period of 12 months. He also started the Mercanti Systems, featuring the Buy Nearby campaign, a unique program that enables in-store fulfillment of online purchase requirements. Andrew Surwilo is also credited with developing and implementing for Dreyfus Corporation, one of the most successful customer retention programs.

ACMG has emerged as one of the fastest growing consumer products company in the U.S. due to its robust direct response programs. The marketing strategy has enabled the company to launch and market premium brands successfully through profitable media channels that include television, radio, print media, direct mail, telemarketing, and online resources.

The company has achieved proficiency in conceptualizing and developing products and ensuring that the products roll out from their manufacturing processes in the shortest possible time. The company leverages its in-house product development capabilities to its optimum level and has the best marketing brains to make sure that their marketing objectives meet and exceed in every single product launch.

ACMG has assembled a team of professionals who are all performers of the highest order in their respective fields. The company has developed a winning strategy where the marketing goals are achieved in the fastest possible time by utilizing the minimum of resources.

The biggest brand name from ACMG is of course Hydroxatone, a skincare line that is capturing the beauty segment of the market at a stupendous rate. Already a $130-million brand, it has helped the company leapfrog over established competitors, registering its presence as the 29th fastest growing company in the consumer sector on the prestigious Inc. 500 list.

The company is today recognized as one of the biggest success stories in the U.S. in recent times. It is undoubtedly one of the leaders in the beauty and wellness industry in the U.S. today.

The patent right is provided to the inventor, in return of his consent to publicly   disclose his/her invention.

The application to obtain a patent is submitted to the national government. The government considers the application and if the application is approved, the applicant receives the patent, valid for 20 years from the time of filing the application. The granting implies that the inventor gives his consent to the government to issue a complete description, including the use and description. If you need help starting a business using your newly-patented product, you may work with the experts from InventHelp Invention Company.

Procedure to File a Patent Application

There is a proper stepwise administrative procedure that needs to be followed while applying for a patent. The application is usually processed in the US patent office by your patent attorney. The process goes as follows.

First of all, an inventor has to submit an application containing a detailed description of his/her invention. The people involved in examining the application, typically called as a patent examiner are technically trained professionals from diverse fields. Specific examiners are chosen for specific fields (as per their specialization). An examiner checks whether there exists a previous claim for a closely similar technology.

In case, the examiner fishes out points of objection in your application, you can always go to an intellectual property attorney to help you out. You can -

• Modify specific claims in the application by removing those specific points of objection
• Try to take the examiner in your confidence to prove that the application is compatible with the patent law
• Begin an appeals process

Getting Ready for a Patent Application

Planning patent applications, needs on part of the applicant, a deep knowledge of his/her own invention for which it has been filed. The applicant also needs to have a comprehensive understanding about patent law. That’s why majority of patent attorneys and agents from patent services InventHelp are technically trained professionals in diverse scientific and engineering fields.

Applying for a Patent outside Your Country

Unlike copyright cases, a patent is valid only within the boundaries of the country in which it has been patented. A global patent simply don’t exists. So a patent granted by the United States Patent Office would be valid only within United States. Thus, if a person wishes to protect his/her intellectual property rights in other countries as well, he/she needs to apply specifically in that country.

Time Limit for The Application

Inventors need to keep a few things in mind before they go for filing a patent application. An inventor is usually awarded a 1-year grace period right from the period when he/she chooses to public disclose his/her invention in one of the two forms –

• The inventor puts up the invention for sale.
• Publish a description of the invention, or provide a detailed account of the invention at a public gathering.

The right to receive a patent is lost, in case the inventor fails to file an application within a year of publicly disclosing his/her patent. If necessary, you should consult a patent attorney to go ahead with your application.

Legal Battle for Receiving Patents

Occasionally it happens that the applications of two similar inventions are filed at the same time. In such cases, the patent is granted to the one whose application precedes the other. However, the national government gives a chance to the other inventor to establish the fact that the original idea belongs to him/her.

The measures adopted by the US laws to reach to a conclusion as to which of the two applicants should receive the patent, are collectively known as interferences. Interferences are typically legal battles and need a professional to move forward in a right direction.

What is Done When the Inventor is an Employee ?

As per law in the United States, a patent holds the inventor’s name on the invention. At times, the employer may like to assign the rights of the employee to himself/herself and in return give him/her rewards such as a bonus. Sometimes the two distribute royalties among themselves. But the name of the inventor on the patent is never changed.

General Consensus Required For Software Patents

The first software patent ever given with the help of a software patent attorney was in the year 1981, in the field of heat treatment of rubber. Since then a number of software inventions have been registered with the patents office. But there are countries in which software patents are not registered as yet. This is making the task of software developers more difficult. The US patents office is granting patents to software developers. As a result, a lot of big companies like Microsoft, IBM, Siemens, Sodapdf and AT&T have registered thousands of software patents till date. IBM has taken over 31,995 US patents followed by HP with 21,000 patents, according to a report published in 2003. Processing of patent applications can take a long time as the United States Patents and Trademarks Office receives over 350,000 applications in a year.

Software development is a very innovative process in which there is always room for improvement and hence the need to patent the innovation. Therefore there is a great need that the software patent attorney you appoint to patent your products is a well informed and reputed person who is fully well versed with the latest inventions and trends in the software industry as well as the patent law. You can also employ an online patent attorney who has his own website to patent your software products. An online presence makes communication easier.

Your software patent attorney should also have complete knowledge of cross – licensing agreements which support a higher level of technological development in the field of software development. It is also possible to protect your intellectual property rights and your marketing rights with the help of software patents. Therefore, software patents have infused a new energy level in the working of software programmers who now feel well protected under the umbrella of software patent. Moreover, once your product is patented you can take the help of the Invention Development Organization to market your product.

Protect Your Ideas And Inventions

If you have developed an idea or a product which you feel needs protection, then you can appoint a registered patent attorney to patent your invention. If you feel you have developed something which can become very popular then do not waste any time in getting it registered or else someone else will claim the invention. If this happens then the process of patenting becomes very time consuming and costly because now you have to give proof that you had invented the product earlier than your rivals, just like in the field of software development. And the situation keeps getting more and more complicated as more people claim your invention as their invention. Therefore you should use the attorney of the field of your invention so that he or she has more information about the product. You should take the services of a software patent attorney to patent your software products.

It is only worthwhile to appoint a registered patent attorney to patent your invention when you are absolutely sure that your invention is going to reap good results money wise. The reason is that the process of patenting is very time consuming and costly. Moreover, a registered attorney will obviously charge more than an unregistered attorney. You can also take the services of an online patent attorney who charges less money. To be on the safer side you should first be absolutely sure of your product’s success before you decide to patent it.

A registered patent attorney in the United States can patent your product only for the US market. If that same product or idea is being used by someone else in some other country then you can not sue that person unless he belongs to a country which recognizes the patents of United States. Therefore if you want your product to be patented throughout the world then you should be ready to spend a huge amount of money as well. If you are earning a good amount of money through your product then you can go ahead with the expenses to patent your product worldwide. You should also consider the fact that there are certain countries in the world which do not consider the rights of patent at all. Such countries simply use whatever is in their interest as their own. There is no way you can fight with this. Therefore consider all the pros and cons before you go ahead and patent your idea.

Let The Law Protect You

Patent law protects the rights of all individuals with exceptional talents who have made a discovery in any field. If you feel that your idea can make quick bucks in the market then you can get your idea registered with the patent authority so that none others can claim your idea as theirs. If you want some clarification you can visit the site of Patent Office and seek advice. You can also download the application form from the site and fill it up with the help of an online patent attorney, so that your information reaches the office as soon as possible. You have to pay a small application fee for using the application form. You also have to pay the fee of your patent attorney.

It is important to note here that you cannot register whatever comes in your mind. Patent law states that it has to be specifically your own idea and invention. You cannot make an improvement on someone else’s invention and get it registered as your own. Nor can you register an invention which has already been registered. It is always advisable to file your patent application through a registered patent attorney to be sure of good results. Do not go about searching for an attorney on your own, lest you get cheated. Registered attorneys may be expensive but they have all the information you need and can get the job done for you.

The process of patenting your invention under patent law is pretty complex. First of all you have to fill up the application form and give the relevant description of your invention and yourself. There are three types of patents for which you can register – design, utility and plant. There is a separate application for each. Next comes reviewing. Your application is reviewed for uniqueness. There should be no existing patent for the invention you want to register. Once registered, you are the owner of the invention or idea you have patented. However, if a corporation uses its massive resources to sue you for patent infringement, you may seek special legal services from a firm that helps stop abusive lawsuits.

Work With An Expert

A patent attorney is an expert in writing patents for new inventions and ideas. Your invention may still be in your mind in the form of an idea, you can still get it registered. Whatever idea you have can be registered; it then becomes your invention and only you can use that idea in the future whenever you want. If you find that someone else is using your idea you can sue that person or firm in a court of law. Alternatively, you may seek mediation services to achieve dispute resolution.

Every idea that you get in your mind may not be worth patenting with the help of a patent attorney. You have to consider the marketability of your idea as well. Every patent is done with an eye on the market. You can see so many new changes in technology nowadays. All these are new inventions, however small they may be. If you are a software developer then you should engage a software patent attorney to register your personal programs with the patent authority. All the programs invented by you will then be your sole property and anyone who wants to use them will have to pay you to do so. You should also keep in mind that all patents cost money; therefore, there is no point in taking a patent that isn’t going to work or is unmarketable.

When you make an invention you can get it registered in three ways. Either it can be registered as a unique design, as a utility or a plant. You must always work with a registered patent attorney to make sure that your invention or idea is registered properly. If your idea is design specific then get it registered as a design. On the other hand if you feel that the function of your invention is more marketable; then get it registered as a utility. Before you register your product, it is also important to make sure that your invention is not already registered with the USPTO. You should consult your patent attorney about this before applying.

Easily Accessible

It would be best if you work with an online patent attorney of your own city. This way you do not have to travel long distances with your credentials neither your attorney. Also make sure that your attorney is a registered patent attorney. This way you can make sure that you are working with a recognized patent attorney with a standard address and some backup. To make sure of the credentials of your patent attorney you can check through the list of patent attorneys with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Also make sure that you have chosen your attorney from the field related to your invention. There are different patent attorneys for different fields like engineering, physics, biology, computer science and others.

You must also learn as much as you can about the experience of your online patent attorney. This helps you to understand whether you are dealing with an experienced attorney or a newcomer. An experienced patent attorney will obviously be in a better position to guide you and will also be more informative. Therefore, before hiring an attorney, make sure he has enough knowledge and experience of patent law. Find out the number of years he has spent in the business of granting patents and how many patents he has taken up till now. You can also take references from his previous clients to learn more about your prospective patent attorney.

It usually helps to take an online patent attorney as you can remain in constant touch with your attorney and keep passing important information regarding your invention or any other detail that he may require via the net. Also, while choosing your patent attorney make sure he or she has the required technical knowledge about your field of invention and knows the art of writing a good patent as well. Patent writing requires great skill and expertise. Your patent attorney must not miss a single important detail of your invention and must make a very comprehensive patent which covers all legal aspects of your invention to safeguard your interests.