Design Patents

Chapter 38 Design Patents

Martin bought several newspapers, checked the relevant information sections, made a few phone calls, identified a law firm that could provide professional services, and immediately went to their office.

Martin was received by Gary Hodgson, a patent attorney who rose through the ranks from patent agent.

Hodgson first stated the patent consultation fee standards.

Martin cut to the chase: "I have a product that I want to apply for a design patent for, but how should I put it regarding the product's appearance?"

Hodgson simply noted: "It must be an industrial product, and a novel, original, and decorative design."

Martin asked, "What about the appearance that reality actually has?"

Hodgson asked, "Did you bring the product or the blueprints?"

Martin shook his head, thought for a moment, and said, "For example, the product's appearance is based on my brother..."

Hodgson stared blankly at this oddball, his mouth slightly agape, thinking, "Are you kidding me?" He reminded him again, "Mr. Davis, we are discussing a very serious patent issue."

Martin said very seriously, "I'm very serious!"

Hodgson thought for a moment and said, "It's impossible for it to pass because it lacks originality and novelty..."

The more he talked, the more off it sounded. Where did this weirdo come from? Hodgson's professionalism made him suppress the urge to swear, and he clenched his fist and shook it: "Like this, an item that exists universally in real life, an item that people have reached a consensus on, its design patent is unlikely to be approved."

This is not quite what Martin envisioned.

Hodgson continued, "If you insist on doing it, you're just wasting your time and money."

Martin understood another layer of meaning: "Patent applications are time-consuming and laborious?"

Hodgson stated, "On average, it takes 19 months for a design patent to be approved, and 24 months for an invention patent."

"Thank you, lawyer." Martin took Hodgson's business card, paid the consultation fee, and left the firm.

Back in the car, Martin gripped the steering wheel but didn't start the engine.

It is normal for expectations to differ from reality.

Therefore, some adjustments need to be made based on reality.

Martin drove to Duluth, a satellite city of Atlanta, where a number of import and export trading companies are located.

They engage in both import and export, and also accept custom orders for small commodities.

Martin originally thought of buying the cheaper Yiwu-made products, but after asking several Chinese-owned companies, he found that it would take a month just to ship them over, so he finally chose a local trading company.

After visiting more than a dozen companies in person, Martin circled a few and asked for their contact information.

They then headed to the ATL Freedom Club.

Having already arranged to meet Kelly Gray, Martin went to the hall where he had previously held a press conference. He told the receptionist and went up to the third floor.

The Freedom Club members were coming and going, keeping the place quite busy.

Martin entered the office, where Kelly Gray was signing documents: "Wait a moment."

"You go ahead with your work." Martin sat on the sofa in the reception area and picked up a newspaper.

The Atlanta Free Press, Georgia's most prominent liberal media outlet.

The newspaper's third page featured a report about Milton, whom Martin had previously focused on, and he dismissed Milton as worthless.

Martin found the reason in the Constitutional Gazette on the same day, where Milton claimed that the Methodist Church was actively conducting skills training to help women find employment, and angrily criticized the Freedom Church for just talking the talk and not doing anything.

After finishing her paperwork, Kelly Gray came to the meeting area and handed Martin a file folder: "The paperwork is done. Starting this week, you will also serve as a social investigator for the Freedom Society."

She emphasized, "It's paid, $200 a week."

"Thank you, Kelly, this will make things a little easier for me." Martin knew what Kelly was concerned about, and immediately offered his opinion: "I came here today for another matter, something we talked about last time. Milton of the Methodist Church is attacking us again, and I'm preparing to launch a counterattack against him."

Making guns requires the awareness of making guns, let alone having ulterior motives.

Several council members of the Freedom Society had discussed Milton extensively, and Kelly was very interested: "Tell me about it."

Martin said, "All I can think of are clumsy methods. Everyone in the club is very annoyed lately. I convinced the boss to get the club's people to protest to the Wesleyan Church, with Milton as the target."

He offered the gun to Kelly, who naturally gripped it tightly. After a moment's thought, she said, "Okay."

After several meetings, Martin specifically inquired about Kelly Gray and the Freedom Society's situation: "These days, I've been thinking about it over and over again, and I've come up with some ideas, but I'm not sure if they'll be of any use."

Kelly Gray laughed: "Don't worry, I won't laugh at you."

"Let's get this straight, no laughing." Martin explained his thoughts in an appropriate manner.

Kelly Gray initially found it funny, thinking it was like a low-class thug acting shamelessly, but as she listened, she became serious.

She stared intently at Martin: "What are you thinking? What do you want?"

Martin scratched his head, seemingly finding it difficult to speak, and after a moment of hesitation said, "Don't laugh at me, but I'm terrified of being poor, and I want... I want to make money."

He made use of the surrounding social environment as much as possible: "The night before last, there was a serious shooting in the Clayton community, which killed five people. The scene of the incident was only 100 meters away from my home. When I got off work that night, I saw two vendors from the same community being riddled with bullets by shotguns."

Kelly nodded: "I saw the news. Be careful."

"Buying a rifle for self-defense isn't a solution either." Martin pursed his lips, paused for a moment, and sighed. "I'm still young, and I don't want to die in a stinking ditch. I want to move to a safer neighborhood."

Kelly Grellio felt some sympathy, but after thinking it over, she realized that what Martin was saying was far too complicated.

Now she has a concern: "Martin, you've given me a difficult problem."

Kelly Gray's chosen path was actually a social ladder; her family's limited resources were all invested in her two older brothers.

Now that a vice president position has become vacant at the ATL Freedom Association, she has her eye on it.

Martin guessed her concerns and said at the right moment, "Kelly, you don't need to get involved in these low-level things. I'll take care of it with my people. If anything goes wrong, it's all the Beast House's responsibility. If public opinion rises, you can give it a gentle push. If it doesn't, you don't need to do anything."

Kelly Gray stood up, paced back and forth a few steps, and made up her mind: "Remember one thing, don't cause physical harm."

"We're all civilized people in our club, like me and Old Brooks," Martin said bluntly, then tentatively asked, "Kelly, you know, we're all broke. The boss is pretty stingy; he mostly provides moral support."

Kelly went to her desk, picked up a form, and handed it to Martin: "Fill this out. Public gatherings require an application process. I'll have Ella help you with the paperwork. The Freedom Society has special funds for events, so getting support shouldn't be a problem."

Martin was even more motivated: "The brothers don't need to go out to work part-time during the day, so they can keep launching protests."

Kelly said, "Make it bigger."

Martin wasn't worried about recruiting: "If I provide free food, I can find another hundred people."

Kelly nodded: "Okay."

After Martin filled out the form, he followed Ella to several offices. Through the Freedom Association's channels, the assembly permit was quickly approved.

Since Kelly was busy at noon, Martin treated Ella to lunch and also invited Andrew over.

During the conversation, they talked about the Hollywood film crew coming from Atlanta. Andrew and Benjamin are currently doing preparations. A production team for the project will arrive soon to arrange things after the crew arrives in Atlanta.

The female producer from the LA Freedom Society is coming.

Martin began to calculate the time.

In the afternoon, Martin called Bruce and Hart, asking them to each drive a car to pick up the meeting materials from the Freedom Society.

The Freedom Society holds gatherings year-round and has all the necessary items. When Martin requested materials related to the House of the Beasts, they were able to find partners to custom-make them.

Just wait one day.

Martin went back and made some samples first.

(End of this chapter)