Patent History

Patenting in the United States has had a long and interesting history. The very first patent here in the United States was awarded to a man named Samuel Hopkins on July 31, 1790. This patent was awarded for Hopkins’ improvement “in the making of pot ash and pearl ash by a new apparatus and process.” This first patent was signed by President George Washington.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office, USPTO, has been granting patents ever since. Unfortunately, the first 10,280 patents were destroyed in a fire. Less than 3,000 of these have been recovered since then, but those that have been were given new serial numbers which include the letter X. These patents are now referred to as X-Patents. All other patents that come after the X-Patents start over at number 1.

To date, over 7,950,000 patents have been granted by the USPTO. This number is steadily growing with the addition of over 150,000 patents granted each year to companies and individuals all over the world.

For over two centuries, the USPTO has been granting patents and trademarks with a specific mission in mind. The USPTO tries to promote “industrial and technological progress in the United States and strengthen the national economy.” They do this by administering relevant laws, advising the Secretary of Commerce, and President, and by providing advice on intellectual property as it applies to trade.

Speak with a Patent Litigation Attorney

If you are considering patenting an invention, or would like more information, contact the patent litigation attorneys of Williams Kherkher at 866.950.9000.