# Electrical patent attorneys for hardware startups > Flat-fee electrical patent attorney services for hardware startups and founders. Start with a $999 patentability search, refunded if it isn't patentable. Page: https://arapackelaw.com/industries/electrical/ Title: Electrical Patent Attorney for Hardware Startups Breadcrumb: [Home](https://arapackelaw.com/) / [Industries](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/) / [Electrical hardware](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/electrical/) We protect the circuit, the control method and the product name, starting with a search because the field is crowded. One flat fee for each step. - $999 patentability search - No hourly billing - Registered patent attorneys ## For the people who build electrical systems. From a first working board to a manufacturer adding to its line, the work starts the same way. Find out what is new, then protect it before it goes to testing, a pilot or a trade show. - **Power and energy startups** Founders building converters, chargers and battery systems, protected before the first pilot or investor meeting. - **Embedded and controls engineers** Teams whose edge sits in the controller, the sensors and the firmware that ties them together. - **Motor and mobility teams** Motors, drives and the control methods behind electric vehicles, tools and robots. - **Growing manufacturers** New filings for each version on predictable flat fees, so protection keeps pace with the product line. ## Four things worth protecting in an electrical system. Most electrical products carry more than one kind of protection. A patent on how it works, a design patent on how it looks and a trademark on its name each stop a different kind of copy. ### The circuit and how it works (utility patent) The circuit, the topology and the way power and signals move through it. Claims are written around what your design does better than what is on the market today, such as lower losses, faster charging or fewer parts. - Power electronics and converters - Batteries and charging - Motors and drives - Circuits and sensors ### Control systems and embedded software (utility patent) The control method or firmware that makes the hardware work better, claimed as a system and as the method it performs, tied to a technical result rather than an abstract idea. - Control systems - Embedded systems and firmware - Sensor signal processing - Battery management ### The look of the product (design patent) The ornamental design of a housing, a charger or a control screen, protected for 15 years from grant. - Housings and enclosures - Chargers and connectors - Control panels and screens Covered by The RLG Guarantee (USPTO denies it, full refund). ### The product and company name (trademark) Clear and file the name before it goes on datasheets, packaging and the product itself, so the name you build a reputation on is one you can keep. - Product and platform names - Company names - Logos Covered by The RLG Guarantee (Approved, or your money back). **Some things stay secret.** A manufacturing process, a winding method or production settings no one can learn from the finished product may be worth more as a trade secret than as a published patent. Your attorney tells you which on your first call. ## Search, provisional, utility. Flat fees at every step. Every step is quoted before any work begins, and the search fee is credited when you file. Most hardware founders file a provisional before certification testing, a pilot or a trade show, then the full application within 12 months. ### Start here, Patentability search **$999** flat fee. Patentable or your money back. Credited when you file. Report in about 5 days. - 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 Covered by [The RLG Guarantee](https://arapackelaw.com/rlg-guarantee/) (Not patentable, full refund). ### Then, Provisional patent **$2,500 to $3,500** flat fee. . Patent pending the day it is filed. - A strategy call to capture how the system works - Schematics and block diagrams included - You review and approve it before filing Covered by [The RLG Guarantee](https://arapackelaw.com/rlg-guarantee/) (Patentability issues, full refund). ### Within 12 months, Non-provisional patent **$7,000 to $12,000** flat fee. Drawings and USPTO filing fees included. Filed before your 12-month deadline. - System and method claims written for examination - Formal drawings and USPTO filing fees - Complex systems quoted flat on your call Flat fee, not covered by the guarantee. ### Alongside the patent - **Design patent, $3,200.** For the housing or control screen, office actions included. Covered by The RLG Guarantee. - **Trademark, $2,000.** For the product name, USPTO fee for one class included. Covered by The RLG Guarantee. ## Search before you draft. File before you show it. Electrical fields are mature, so most new work builds on known circuits and parts. The search shows where your improvement sits. The filing has to be in before the product goes to a manufacturer, a test lab, a pilot customer or a trade show. ### Patent, who can make and sell it 1. **Search** ($999). What is already out there? 2. **Provisional** (File first). Patent pending, schematics included 3. **Full application** (Month 12). Within 12 months 4. **Examination** (USPTO). The USPTO reviews the claims 5. **Granted**. Rights you can enforce ### Product, when others see it 1. **Prototype** (Use an NDA). Boards, firmware and test rigs 2. **Manufacturer** (Use an NDA). Quotes and samples 3. **Certification** (Records go public). Safety and FCC testing 4. **Pilot or trade show** (Disclosure risk). Customers see it working 5. **Production**. Sales and new versions **File before you certify or show.** An FCC equipment authorization is published when it is granted, often with photos of the device. A trade show booth, a pilot or a datasheet can make an invention public too. File at least a provisional first. - **Crowded fields reward a search.** Power supplies, motors and sensors have decades of patents and papers behind them. A search before drafting shows what is already known, so the claims cover what is actually new in your design. [How prior art can help your idea](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/can-you-patent-something-that-already-exists/) - **Schematics become the drawings.** Circuit diagrams, block diagrams, flowcharts and timing diagrams are the usual drawings in an electrical application. Put the ones that show how it works in the provisional, because a claim only keeps the provisional's date for what the provisional describes. [What a provisional application needs](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/provisional-patent-application/) - **Claim the system and the method.** When software runs the hardware, claim both the system and the method it performs, tied to a technical result such as lower power use or a more accurate reading. A competitor then has to avoid both. [How to write patent claims](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/how-to-write-claims/) *General information, not legal or regulatory advice. Certification requirements depend on the product and where it is sold.* ## Services for electrical and hardware companies. One firm for the patent, the brand and the agreements around them. - [Utility patents](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/utility-patents/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/patents/utility-patents.md). Protect how the system works. - [Provisional patents](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/provisional-patents/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/patents/provisional-patents.md). Patent pending while you build and test. Covered by The RLG Guarantee. - [Design patents](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/design-patents/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/patents/design-patents.md). Protect how the product looks. Covered by The RLG Guarantee. - [Trademarks](https://arapackelaw.com/trademarks/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/trademarks.md). Register the product and company name. Covered by The RLG Guarantee. - [Software patents](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/software-mobile-app-patent/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/patents/software-mobile-app-patent.md). Protect the firmware and control methods. - [Non-disclosure agreements](https://arapackelaw.com/non-disclosure-agreements-ndas/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/non-disclosure-agreements-ndas.md). Share with manufacturers on your terms. - [IP licensing agreements](https://arapackelaw.com/intellectual-property-licensing-agreements/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/intellectual-property-licensing-agreements.md). License technology in or out. - [Patent litigation](https://arapackelaw.com/ip-litigation/patent-litigation/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/ip-litigation/patent-litigation.md). Enforce or defend a patent. ## Before you file. ### Can an electrical invention be patented? Yes. New circuits, power and control systems, sensors, batteries, motors and the methods that run them can be patented when they are new and not obvious. These fields are crowded, so the claims have to focus on what your design does that earlier ones do not, which is why the work starts with a search. ### Do I need a utility patent or a design patent? A utility patent protects how the system works, such as the circuit, the control method or the structure. A design patent protects how a product looks, such as a housing, a charger or a control screen. Many electrical products are worth protecting both ways, and the search shows which is stronger for yours. ### How do you patent hardware that runs on software? Claim both sides. A system claim covers the hardware and what its processor or controller is set up to do, and a method claim covers the steps it performs. Tying the claims to a technical result, such as less power used or a more accurate reading, helps show the invention is more than an abstract idea. ### Should a manufacturing process be patented or kept secret? If competitors cannot learn the process from the finished product, a trade secret can last as long as it stays secret and is never published. If the product gives it away, or others could work it out on their own, a patent is often the better fit. Your attorney weighs it with you on the first call. ### When does a provisional application help? When you need patent pending status before others see the product, at a trade show, with a pilot customer, at a contract manufacturer or in a certification filing. It holds your filing date for 12 months while you test and refine the design. Include the schematics and block diagrams that show how it works, since later claims rely on what the provisional describes. ### How much does an electrical 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 is $3,200. Every fee is quoted before work begins, and the search fee is credited toward your application. ### What does The RLG Guarantee cover for electrical inventions? 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. ## Your attorneys - [Andrew Rapacke](https://arapackelaw.com/learn-more/the-team/andrew-rapacke/), Managing Partner, Registered Patent Attorney. Electrical and computer engineering. Former Naval Engineering Officer. - [Ken Brooks](https://arapackelaw.com/team/ken-brooks/), Registered Patent Attorney. Software, AI and machine learning, electrical and mechanical systems. Meet the team at https://arapackelaw.com/learn-more/the-team/ ## Go deeper before you file. - [Can You Patent Something That Already Exists? How to Use Prior Art to Strengthen (Not Kill) Your Idea](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/can-you-patent-something-that-already-exists/) - [How to Write Patent Claims That Actually Protect Your Invention](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/how-to-write-claims/) - [Provisional Patent Application: The Fastest Way to Get Patent Pending](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/provisional-patent-application/) - [It’s Not Always Obvious to Combine Prior Art](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/not-always-obvious-combine-prior-art/) - [Design Patent vs Utility Patent: Shield Your Product Design with the Right Legal Protection](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/design-patent-vs-utility-patent/) - [5 Examples of Trade Secrets and How They Fit into Your Intellectual Property Strategy](https://arapackelaw.com/intellectual-property/examples-of-trade-secrets/) [All articles](https://arapackelaw.com/learning-center/) ## Other industries - [3D printing](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/3d-printing/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/3d-printing.md). Printers, processes, materials and the products they make. - [Aerospace](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/aerospace/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/aerospace.md). Aircraft, drones and spacecraft, protected before the first public flight. - [AI and machine learning](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/ai-machine-learning/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/ai-machine-learning.md). Models, training methods and the AI features inside your product. - [Autonomous vehicles](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/autonomous-vehicles/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/autonomous-vehicles.md). Sensing, navigation and control systems for vehicles that drive themselves. - [Blockchain](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/blockchain/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/blockchain.md). Protocols, wallets and the technical methods behind decentralized products. - [Computer hardware](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/computer-hardware/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/computer-hardware.md). Components, peripherals and the systems that tie them together. - [Consumer electronics](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/consumer-electronics/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/consumer-electronics.md). Devices people carry and use every day, from how they work to how they look. - [Consumer products](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/consumer-products/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/consumer-products.md). Everyday products and the brands on them, protected before launch. - [Cybersecurity](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/cybersecurity/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/cybersecurity.md). Security software and hardware, and what to patent or keep secret. - [Defense](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/defense/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/defense.md). Defense technology, planned around contracts and export rules. - [Digital health](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/digital-health/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/digital-health.md). Telehealth, remote monitoring and health apps, built around patient data. - [E-commerce](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/ecommerce/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/ecommerce.md). Online brands and Amazon sellers, from the trademark to the product itself. - [Energy and clean tech](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/energy/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/energy.md). Batteries, solar, storage, charging and the grid, from the cell to the system. - [Fintech](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/fintech/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/fintech.md). Payments, lending and trading technology, claimed as technical improvements. - [Gaming](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/gaming/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/gaming.md). Game engines, mechanics, controllers and titles, protected before the reveal. - [Medical devices](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/medical-devices/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/medical-devices.md). Devices, diagnostics and software as a medical device, timed with the FDA. - [Robotics](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/robotics/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/robotics.md). Robots, grippers and the software that moves them, protected before the pilot. - [Semiconductors](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/semiconductors/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/semiconductors.md). Chip design, fabrication processes and packaging. - [Software and SaaS](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/software-saas/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/software-saas.md). The methods your platform performs, protected however the code is written. - [Sporting goods](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/sporting-goods/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/sporting-goods.md). Equipment and gear, from how it performs to the design customers recognize. ## Next steps - [Book a free strategy call](https://arapackelaw.com/contact-us/) with a registered patent attorney, or call (954) 951-0154 - [Take the Intelligent IP Quiz](https://arapackelaw.com/intelligent-ip-quiz/) to see what to protect first - [The RLG Guarantee](https://arapackelaw.com/rlg-guarantee/), the refund promise on four services General information, not legal advice.