Did you know that if you don’t know that a patent exists, you could still be charged with committing patent infringement? Patent infringement is actually more common than you may think and there are some key things to know about it to avoid committing it.

Patents happen to be public documents and easily accessible. This is why patent infringement is considered illegal.

Patent infringement is defined as when a person makes, sells, imports or uses another person’s patented invention. When this happens, the patent holder has the ability to sue, which is forces them to stop and in return, the patent holder might even be able to collect on monetary damages. Also keep in mind that since patents are made of multiple parts, a patent infringement could have several claims, so it is best to always consult with a Scottsdale patent lawyer if you are in trouble.

It is a good idea to know some common terms that are associated with patent infringement.

An infringer is a person or company who is committing the infringement. A contributing infringer is defined at someone who helps or offers to create or sell the invention that is patented. If multiple people or companies are involved in the infringement on the same patent, then they are called multiple infringers.

On top of common terms, it is important to know the different types of patent infringements.

Remember, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes patent infringement, but there are some common types that you should be aware of. A direct infringement is when a product was created without permission. The person doesn’t have to be aware that there is a patent to be charged. An indirect infringement means that there wasn’t direct infringement, but there was encouragement or support to commit the infr