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Basic
U.S. Search, Pro Terms of Service confirmation
Please print, or save, this page
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.
"Basic prior-art search" consists of a U.S. Patent prior-art
search conduced by way of the United States Patent and Trademark's
(USPTO) patent database.
"Search Report" consists of a search results, which includes
identifying information of prior-art references found during the prior-art
search procured by Viewer.
"Invention disclosure document" is a written document that
sufficiently describes the invention and related contextual information
which is the subject of a basic prior-art search.
"PPA" - Provisional Patent Application.
This is an agreement between Bay Area
Intellectual Property Group, a Nevada LLC (BAIP) and Viewer ("INVENTOR") for patent search services that INVENTOR has
retained BAIP to provide.
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The scope of BAIPs services shall
be limited performing a basic United States (U.S.) prior-art patent
search ("Basic Search") , and delivering to INVENTOR the
corresponding Search Report. 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 Basic Search 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 document. 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 Basic Search service,
and do not include any other related costs (e.g., courier, copying,
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 Masters in Electrical and Computer Engineering
shall perform the Basic Search for INVENTOR.
- FLAT RATE FEE. INVENTOR and BAIP acknowledge that the
flat-fee, Basic Search service of this agreement is only for simple
inventions, of relatively low complexity. INVENTOR and BAIP acknowledge
that BAIP, generally, has a fix amount of time allotted for performance
of the Basic Search, thus the flat-rate. Higher complexity inventions
require more time and expertise to perform an effective prior-art Patent
Search, whereby, the Basic Search level of service may result in substantially
less quality search results. BAIP initially, in good faith, assumes
INVENTOR has properly assessed the relative complexity INVENTOR's invention.
However, if the actual invention complexity, as determined by BAIP,
is deemed to be significantly higher than a relatively low complexity
invention, BAIP shall notify INVENTOR, and offer INVENTOR the option
of either paying the difference between the appropriate flat-rate patent
searching service, or to have BAIP spend the time allotted for performance
of the Basic Search.
- INVENTION DISCLOSURE. INVENTOR shall supply BAIP with
a written disclosure document before BAIP will conduct the Basic Search.
Furthermore, INVENTOR agrees that the quality of a prior-art search
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 Search Report delivered by BAIP, and INVENTOR agrees to accept
such a faulty Search Report as performance of the Basic Search service
procured by INVENTOR according to this agreement, when the report is
based INVENTOR's inadequate or inaccurate written invention disclosure.
- 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.
- SEARCH LIMITATIONS. The Basic Search does not cover:
a) unpublished pending patents, which are not available for searching,
b) foreign patents, c) non-patent publications, and d) expired patents.
Furthermore, due to the complexity of patent prior-art searching, BAIP
does not make any guarantee of results including the accuracy and/or
comprehensiveness of any prior-art search.
- WARRANTY. The information provided in the Search Report
is for informational purposes only, indicating, at best, the general
nature of the U.S. Patent prior-art. INVENTORS USE OF THE Search
Report AND/OR BAIPS WEBSITE IS AT INVENTORS SOLE RISK. The
Search Report 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.
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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 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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