Value statementsâ ultimate purpose is to encourage behaviors from organization members that encourage the achievement of organizational goals and its mission. Leaders of an organization can encourage these behaviors from other members with a value framework that guides membersâ behavior.
How long a patent lasts depends on when the application was filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. For U.S. patents filed through June 17, 1995, the patent lasts for 17 years from the date the patent is issued, provided that the fees necessary to keep the patent in force (maintenance fees) are paid. For patent applications filed after June 17, 1995, the patent last 20 years from the date of filing. Since applications typically take one to three years to process, most patents filed after 1995 have an effective duration of 17-19 years.
If the patent term has not expired, you will then want to check with the USPTO to see if the required maintenance fees have been paid. There are three maintenance fees due for utility patents (design patents do not have maintenance fees): 3 years, 7 years and 11 years. U.S. Patent No. 6,854,555). 2  If the competitor's product does not have a patent number directly on it, check the packaging, marketing materials and website for any patent notices. 3  After you have identified a patent number of interest, you can perform a patent number search to view the patent.