Using Design Patents to Protect Graphical User Interfaces
One of the most important aspects of software and mobile applications is the user experience, which is closely tied to the graphical user interface (GUI) of the software…
[INDUSTRY]Consumer electronics and devices
Consumer electronics patent attorneys for device makers
We protect how your device works, the look of its housing and screens, and the brand on the box, with one flat fee for each step.
Your attorneys
Andrew RapackeManaging Partner · Registered Patent AttorneyFormer Naval Engineering Officer. M.S. in electrical and electronics engineering.
Casey GoldenbergAttorney · Trademarks and Patent ProsecutionTrademarks and patent prosecution, from a scientific background.
[01]Who it's for
For the people who build everyday devices.
From a first working prototype to a brand on its third version, the work starts the same way. Find out what is new, then protect it before it is certified, shipped or shown on a crowdfunding page.
Device startups
Founders building a new gadget, wearable or accessory, protected before the first investor demo or preorder.
Smart home and audio brands
Connected devices, speakers and the companion apps that set them up and control them.
Wearable teams
Watches, rings, earbuds and trackers, where the sensor, the fit and the screen can each be protected.
Accessory makers
Cases, mounts, stands and controllers, where a better fit or a new look is often the invention.
[02]What's protectable
Four things worth protecting in consumer electronics.
Most devices carry more than one kind of protection. A patent on how it works, design patents on how it and its screens look, and a trademark on its name each stop a different kind of copy.
01Utility patent
The device and how it works
The hardware, the mechanism and the features users notice, such as a new hinge, a faster way to pair or longer battery life. Claims are written around what your device does that others on the shelf do not.
- Wearables and audio devices
- Smart home devices
- Accessories and controllers
- Methods of manufacture
Flat fee, quoted before work begins02Utility patent
Software and features on the device
The firmware and app features that make the device work better, claimed as a system and the method it performs, tied to a technical result rather than an abstract idea.
- Pairing and connectivity
- Sensor and signal processing
- Power management
- Companion app features
Flat fee, quoted before work begins03Design patent
The housing and the screens
The ornamental shape of the housing and the look of icons and interfaces shown on its screen, each protected for 15 years from grant.
- Housings and enclosures
- Icons and graphical interfaces
- Cases and accessories
USPTO denies it, full refund*04Trademark
The product and brand name
Clear and file the name before it goes on the box, the app store listing and the device itself, so the name customers search for is one you own.
- Product and brand names
- Logos
- App and platform names
Approved, or your money back*
Code and know-how
Copyright protects the code and the artwork in your interface as written. Firmware or a manufacturing process no one can learn from the finished device may be worth more as a trade secret than as a published patent. Your attorney tells you which on your first call.
[03]The flat-fee path
Search, provisional, utility. Flat fees at every step.
Every step is quoted before any work begins, and the search fee is credited toward a design or non-provisional application. Most device founders file a provisional before certification testing, a crowdfunding campaign or a trade show, then the full application within 12 months.
01Start here
Patentability search
$999
Patentable or your money back. Credited toward a design or non-provisional application
- An invention discovery call with your attorney
- A search of US and foreign patents and published applications
- A written patentability report and a review call
Report in about 5 days
Not patentable, full refund*02Then
Provisional patent
$2.5k–3.5k
- A strategy call to capture how the device works
- Drafted by a registered patent attorney
- You review and approve it before filing
Patent pending the day it is filed
Patentability issues, full refund*03Within 12 months
Non-provisional patent
$7k–12k
Drawings and USPTO filing fees included
- Claims and a full specification written for examination
- Formal drawings and USPTO filing fees
- Complex devices quoted flat on your call
Filed before your 12-month deadline
Flat fee, not covered by the guarantee
Alongside the patent
- Design patentFor the housing or an interface screen, office actions included$3,200USPTO denies it, full refund*
- TrademarkFor the product name, USPTO fee for one class included$2,000Approved, or your money back*
*Refunds subject to the RLG Guarantee Policy in your engagement letter. Utility (non-provisional) patents are quoted flat and are not covered by the guarantee. How The RLG Guarantee works
[04]Certification and launch
Certify, file and launch. Time them together.
A patent decides who can make and sell the device. FCC authorization decides whether a device that uses radio can be marketed in the US, and the record it creates becomes public. The timing of each shapes the other.
PatentWho can make and sell it
- $99901$999SearchPatentable, or your money back
- File first02File firstProvisionalPatent pending, before any disclosure
- Month 1203Month 12Full applicationWithin 12 months
- USPTO04USPTOExaminationThe USPTO reviews the claims
- 05GrantedRights you can enforce
LaunchWhen others see it
- Use an NDA01Use an NDAPrototypeEngineering samples
- Use an NDA02Use an NDAManufacturerTooling and production quotes
- Records go public03Records go publicFCC authorizationTesting and the equipment grant
- Disclosure risk04Disclosure riskCrowdfunding or preordersThe device goes public
- 05LaunchRetail and online sales
File before you certify or show
An FCC equipment grant is public, and its external photos and user manual follow once any short-term confidentiality ends. A crowdfunding page or a trade show can make an invention public too. File at least a provisional first.
Standards can mean licenses
A device that follows a wireless or media standard may use standard-essential patents owned by others, usually licensed on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms. What you build beyond the standard can still be patented as your own.
What inventors can learn from Apple's patentsScreens can be design patents
The USPTO grants design patents for icons and graphical interfaces shown on a display screen. Each design patent has one claim to one look, so file the screens customers will recognize.
Design patents for graphical interfacesCopies often arrive as imports
Many knock-off devices are made abroad. A US patent can support an exclusion order from the International Trade Commission, and a registered trademark can be recorded with US Customs and Border Protection so counterfeits can be stopped at the border.
When device patents stop imports
General information, not legal or regulatory advice. Certification, safety and consumer protection requirements depend on the device and where it is sold.
[05]Related services
Services for consumer electronics companies.
One firm for the patent, the brand and the agreements around them.
- Utility patentsProtect how the device works
- Provisional patents, covered by The RLG GuaranteePatent pending before you certify or launch
- Design patents, covered by The RLG GuaranteeProtect the housing and the screens
- Trademarks, covered by The RLG GuaranteeRegister the product and brand names
- Software patentsProtect firmware and app features
- International trademarksProtect the brand where you sell and manufacture
- Non-disclosure agreementsShare with manufacturers on your terms
- Patent litigationEnforce or defend a device patent
[06]Questions
Before you file.
Still deciding? Your first call is free and comes with a straight answer on whether to file.
Book A Free Strategy CallCan you patent a consumer electronics product?
Yes. A new device, a better version of a known one, its features and the way it is made can be patented when they are new and not obvious. Electronics is a crowded field, so the claims focus on what your device does that earlier ones do not, which is why the work starts with a search.
Can I patent the look of my device screen or app icons?
Yes, with a design patent. The USPTO accepts icons and graphical interfaces shown on a display screen as designs, and the housing can be protected the same way. A design patent lasts 15 years from grant and covers products that look substantially the same.
Should I file before a crowdfunding campaign or FCC testing?
Yes, if you can. A crowdfunding page, a preorder, a trade show or a public FCC record can make the invention public. The US gives inventors one year after their own disclosure, but most other countries require filing first. A provisional before launch keeps both options open, and a PCT application within 12 months keeps patent rights abroad open too.
What are standard-essential patents?
Patents that cover a technical standard, such as a wireless or video format, so any device that follows the standard uses them. Their owners usually commit to license them on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms. If your device follows a standard, plan for those licenses, and patent what you add beyond it.
How do I stop counterfeit devices?
A registered trademark lets you act against sellers using your brand, through marketplace complaints, a cease and desist letter or a lawsuit, and it can be recorded with US Customs and Border Protection. A granted patent covers devices that copy what it claims, including imports.
How much does a consumer electronics patent cost with your firm?
Flat fees at every step. A $999 patentability search, a provisional application at $2,500 to $3,500 depending on the invention, and a non-provisional application at $7,000 to $12,000 with drawings and USPTO filing fees included. A design patent for the housing or a screen is $3,200. Every fee is quoted before work begins, and the search fee is credited toward a design or non-provisional application.
What does The RLG Guarantee cover for consumer electronics?
The patentability search, the provisional application, design patents and trademarks. If the search finds your invention is not novel, you get a full refund or another search. If patentability issues come up on your provisional, a full refund or more searches. If the USPTO denies your design application, you get a full refund. If it refuses your trademark, you get a refund or a new mark. Non-provisional applications are not covered. Refunds are subject to the RLG Guarantee Policy in your engagement letter.
[07]Learning Center
Go deeper on protecting a device.
What Is a Design Patent? Understanding Its Importance and Benefits
The visual appearance of a product is crucial as it not only distinguishes it from competitors but also enhances its market appeal and strengthens brand identity. When a…
How To Put A Stop To Your Competitors Infringing Activities
Sometimes your only legal option for dealing with trademark infringers is to seek help from the court system. Business owners often need to resort to the courts in…
How Patents by Apple Shape the Future of Technology and What Inventors Can Learn From Them
Explore patents by Apple — how many they hold, what technologies they protect, and what founders can learn from Apple’s IP strategy. Start building your own moat.
How To Deal with Knock Offs Trying to Ruin Your Products and Brand
Trying to stop counterfeiters from undercutting your price and stealing your revenue is like a game of whack-a-mole. Here is how trademark counterfeiting works and how to fight back.
5 Examples of Trade Secrets and How They Fit into Your Intellectual Property Strategy
Explore 5 famous examples of trade secrets, from Coca-Cola to Google, and learn how to fit trade secrets into your IP strategy. Book a free IP strategy call.
[08]Client reviews
Founders who filed with us.
4.7 across 614 public reviews on Google, Trustpilot and Avvo.
#1Top reviewed IP law firm*
Read client reviews“A detailed analysis and report was provided once the search was completed. They answered all of my questions in a timely manner and advised me on the best strategies moving forward.”
Brittany LongPrior art search · Client review “Answered every question I had with a phone call directly.”
Tim A.Trademark · Google “Could not be happier with the customer service and straightforward fixed-fee approach.”
Sammerjit RaikhyDesign patent · Client review
Reviews reflect individual client experiences. Quotes are excerpts. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. *#1 top reviewed means the most public client reviews on Google, Trustpilot and Avvo of any US patent or trademark firm.
Protect the device before it ships.
Talk through your device with a registered patent attorney. The call is free, with no obligation.