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1.888.89PATENT
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Advanced Patentability Opinion order confirmation, item #SP11
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for your records
Terms of Service Agreement
DEFINITIONS.
"Website" includes any information contained in, or accessible
from, http://www.BayAreaIP.com or other mirror websites thereof.
"Viewer" includes any entity or person that, in electronic
or physically printed form, views, prints, copies or otherwise manipulates
information contained on this website.
"Patentability Opinion" consists of rendering a professional
opinion as to whether the invention in consideration of procuring
patent protection is likely to be ultimately found patentable by the
USPTO.
"Invention disclosure form" (IDF) is a written document
that sufficiently describes the invention and related contextual information
which is the subject of the Patentability Opinion.
"PPA" - Provisional Patent Application.
This is an agreement between Bay Area
Intellectual Property Group, a Nevada LLC (BAIP) and Viewer ("INVENTOR") for Patentability Opinion services that INVENTOR
has retained BAIP to provide.
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The scope of BAIPs services shall
be limited to performing a Advanced Patentability Opinion based on
submitted prior-art reference and IDF. In particular, BAIP is not
a 37 CFR §1.31 representative before the USPTO, and INVENTOR
is completely responsible and liable for meeting all legal
bar dates and applying for and prosecuting INVENTORs PPA
and/or any nonprovisional patent application, even if BAIP advises
INVENTOR that INVENTOR's invention is believed to be patentable and/or
BAIP later prepares, modifies, and/or files INVENTOR's PPA on behalf
of INVENTOR. Moreover, INVENTOR and BAIP acknowledge that that neither
of submitting this form with or without subsequent payment, nor submitting
invention disclosure(s), nor receiving an initial consultation, nor
communicating by phone or email creates an attorney/agent-client relationship.
All acts under this agreement are understood not to create an attorney/agent-client
relationship and, therefore, are not an attorney/agent-client communication.
- INVENTOR and BAIP acknowledge that BAIP cannot begin
the Advanced Patentability Opinion for INVENTOR until INVENTOR executes
this service agreement, any required payment is honored by the bank,
and INVENTOR provides BAIP with a written Invention disclosure form.
The payment shall be deposited in BAIPs bank account and will
be used to pay BAIPs fees, charges, and expenses incurred in connection
with the services rendered hereunder.
- Fees are only for BAIPs Advanced Patentability
Opinion service, and do not include any other related costs (e.g., courier,
copying, phone toll, etc.). There are no additional fees if all communications
are done electronically. INVENTOR agrees to pay for any work or product
ordered, and that all orders are irrevocable, and that failure to pay
within 15 days of when promised shall be breach and accept judgment
on the basis of that breach; 9.5% plus APR shall be charged on all fees
over 15 days late. BAIP maintains no obligation to perform additional
work once the order has been completed; BAIP shall impose a $40 returned
check charge.
- BAIP certifies that only a Registered Patent Agent
possessing at least a Master's in Electrical and Computer Engineering
shall perform the Advanced Patentability Opinion for INVENTOR.
- FLAT RATE FEE. INVENTOR and BAIP acknowledge that the
flat-fee, Advanced Patentability Opinion service of this agreement is
only for simple inventions, of relatively high complexity. INVENTOR
and BAIP acknowledge that BAIP, generally, has a fix amount of time
allotted for performance of the Advanced Patentability Opinion, thus
the flat-rate. Lower complexity inventions require less time and expertise
to perform an effective Patentability analysis, whereby, the Basic
Patentability Opinion level of service may be more cost effective.
BAIP initially, in good faith, assumes INVENTOR has properly assessed
the relative complexity INVENTOR's invention. However, although a very
rare case, if the actual invention complexity, as determined by BAIP,
is deemed to be significantly greater than a relatively high complexity
invention (i.e., of extremely high complexity), BAIP shall notify INVENTOR,
and offer INVENTOR the option of either paying our hourly search rate
for any additional time beyond the alotted time, or to have BAIP spend
the time allotted for performance of the Advanced Patentability Opinion.
- INVENTION DISCLOSURE. INVENTOR shall supply BAIP with
a written disclosure document before BAIP will conduct the Advanced
Patentability Opinion. Furthermore, INVENTOR agrees that the quality
of a Patentability Opinion depends on some factors controlled by INVENTOR.
Such factors include the ability of INVENTOR to "teach," in
a written disclosure document submitted to BAIP, how to make and use
the invention sufficiently to identify the similarities to and differences
from the prior art. If INVENTOR's written invention disclosure is in
error, or otherwise insufficient, BAIP cannot be held responsible or
liable for the corresponding faulty Patentability Opinion delivered
by BAIP, and INVENTOR agrees to accept such a faulty Patentability Opinion
as performance of the Advanced Patentability Opinion service procured
by INVENTOR according to this agreement, when the Patentability Opinion
is based INVENTOR's inadequate or inaccurate written invention disclosure
or cited prior-art references.
- A PATENTABILITY OPINION shall be performed by a Registered
Patent Practitioner in good standing with the USPTO patent bar, setting
forth the reasoning, and possible conjecture, for or against the likelihood
the invention that was the subject of the Patentability Opinion will
be allowed in some form by an Examiner at the USPTO. INVENTOR understands
that our Patentability Analysis is only our professional opinion, and
that, as with any legal opinion, due to the uncertainties in USPTO practice,
U.S. case law, and the prior-art discovery process, the actual outcome
of INVENTOR's case should INVENTOR decide to apply for patent may differ
substantially from the predictions of our opinion. Our goal is only
to provide an opinion that is more likely than not, to be accurate
given the information readily available at the time the opinion was
rendered. Thus, INVENTOR and BAIP that BAIP cannot be held responsible
or liable for any action or inaction performed based on, or any corresponding
damages resulting from such actions based on our patentability opinion
as further described in the "LIMITATION OF LIABILITY"
section of this agreement.
- PROPRIETARY MATTER. All materials and information related
to the invention disclosed by INVENTOR to BAIP, including written and
verbal descriptions, samples, drawings, photos, recordings, and videos,
as identified by INVENTOR's signed invention disclosure shall be accepted,
and confirmed received, by BAIP under the terms of any confidentiality
agreement entered between BAIP and INVENTOR, and the following conditions:
a) the information contained or identified in the invention disclosure
shall be used by BAIP solely for purposes requested, or authorized
by INVENTOR. b) BAIP shall exercise best efforts to diligently safeguard
INVENTOR's proprietary matter (i.e., nonpublic knowledge) from unauthorized
access by others persons. c) BAIP shall only copy INVENTOR's proprietary
matter as needed for work requested by INVENTOR. d) BAIP will return
INVENTOR's proprietary matter, including any copies, to INVENTOR after
BAIP receives such a request in writing by INVENTOR. e) The nondisclosure
terms herein shall not apply to any information which BAIP can document
has become part of the general public knowledge through no fault of
BAIP, or after publication by a patent office disclosing the PROPRIETARY
MATTER.
- WARRANTY. The information provided in the Patentability
Opinion is for informational purposes only, indicating, at best, the
general nature of the U.S. And International Patent prior-art. INVENTORS
USE OF THE Patentability Opinion AND/OR BAIPS WEBSITE IS AT INVENTORS
SOLE RISK. The Patentability Opinion and website are provided on an
"AS IS" and AS AVAILABLE basis. BAIP EXPRESSLY
DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING,
BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, and FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
- While BAIP believes that the information in the Search
Report, and/or Patentability Opinion is accurate and safe, INVENTOR
acknowledges that BAIP cannot be held responsible or liable for the
accuracy, completeness, timeliness, reliability, availability, or accessibility
of the Search Report, and/or Patentability Opinion content (including,
but not limited to, transmission, transmission methods, or manipulation
of the information) accessed or received by INVENTOR. All responsibility
and/or liability for any damages caused by corruption, viruses, and
etcetera contained within the electronic files of the Search Report,
and/or Patentability Opinion are disclaimed. No advice, information,
or work product whether oral or written, performed on behalf of, or
obtained by INVENTOR from BAIP will create any warranty not expressly
stated in this agreement. Furthermore, INVENTOR expressly understands
and agrees that BAIP will not be liable to INVENTOR for any indirect,
incidental, special, consequential or exemplary damages, including but
not limited to, damages for loss of profits, goodwill, use, data or
other intangible losses (even if BAIP has been advised of the possibility
of such damages), resulting from: (a) the use or the inability to use
BAIP service(s), website, and/or Search Report, and/or Patentability
Opinion; (b) the cost of procurement of substitute goods and/or service(s)
resulting from any goods, data, information or service(s) purchased;
(c) unauthorized access to or alteration of INVENTOR's transmissions
or data; (d) failure to insure the compatibility of INVENTOR's system
(i.e., the equipment, devices, and software that INVENTOR provide to
receive BAIP service(s) and/or Search Report, and/or Patentability Opinion)
with BAIP service(s) and/or Search Report, and/or Patentability Opinion;
(e) action or inaction by third party service provider(s) that BAIP
relies upon (e.g., without limitation, online payment service(s), web
hosting, and the us postal service); or (f) any other matter relating
to BAIP service(s), website, and/or Search Report, and/or Patentability
Opinion. INVENTOR should be aware that USPTO fees, laws, rules, and
USPTO procedures frequently change. INVENTOR should validate that all
information INVENTOR uses is accurate. INVENTOR's sole remedy and exclusive
remedy for any dispute with BAIP in connection with BAIP service(s)
and/or Search Report, and/or Patentability Opinion is by way of: (1)
BIAP's determination of the validity of inventor's dispute, and resolution
thereof, if any; or (2) the USPTO's complaint resolution procedure,
which may result in a full refund of our fees in connection with the
complaint. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain
warranties or the limitation or exclusion of liability for incidental
or consequential damages. Accordingly, some of the above limitations
of this section may not apply to INVENTOR
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NOTICE: Notices to INVENTOR may be
made via either email or regular mail. BAIP may also provide notices
of general matters by sending email, or by posting material on http://www.bayareaip.com.
Notices by INVENTOR to BAIP must be given by calling: 1-415-515-3005;
LEGAL NOTICES must be given by letter delivered by first class US
mail to Bay Area IP, P.O. Box 210459, San Francisco CA, 94121-0459.
- We do not anticipate having any disagreements with
INVENTOR about the quality, cost or appropriateness of our product or services,
but if any concerns about these matters arise, please notify us immediately.
We would endeavor to resolve any disagreements in a fair and amicable
manner. If, for some reason, we were not able to resolve any disputes
ourselves, the parties will try in good faith to settle it through mediation
conducted by a mediator to be mutually selected. The parties will share
the costs of the mediator equally. Each party will cooperate fully and
fairly with the mediator and will attempt to reach a mutually satisfactory
compromise to the dispute. If the dispute is not resolved within 30
days after it is referred to the mediator, it will be arbitrated by
an arbitrator to be mutually selected. Judgment on the arbitration award
may be entered in any court that has jurisdiction over the matter. Costs
of arbitration, including lawyers' fees, will be allocated by the arbitrator.
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The validity, interpretation, and
performance of this Agreement will be controlled and construed under
the laws of the State of Nevada. Venue in any action in law or equity
arising from the terms of this Agreement shall be the court of appropriate
jurisdiction nearest to Reno and within Nevada. Any and all clauses,
or parts of this Agreement found by a court of law to be unenforceable
shall not affect the enforceability of the rest of this Agreement.
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