SOFTWARE · SIGNALS · SYSTEMS
Software & Computer-Related Patents for Iowa Innovators
Patent counsel for software, SaaS, embedded, RF, signal-processing, and technology businesses in Cedar Rapids and across Iowa.
Request a ConsultationA PRACTICAL STARTING POINT
For Iowa teams turning code into a business advantage
If your company builds software, the patent conversation is usually about more than source code. It may involve a technical improvement, an embedded controller, RF or signal processing, a cloud architecture, an eCommerce workflow, or software working with a physical system. I work with Iowa innovators—including SaaS companies, product teams, and growing businesses in and around Cedar Rapids—to frame those technical contributions clearly and evaluate practical protection options.
Patent protection is fact-specific. A consultation can help identify what is new, what should remain confidential, and how an application strategy fits the business.
THE BASICS
How software-related patents work
Utility patent focus
A patent may protect a useful technical process, system, method, or computer-implemented improvement—not a business idea in the abstract.
Claim strategy
Claims define legal boundaries. The specification and drawings should explain architecture, implementation, and technical result with appropriate detail.
Provisional to nonprovisional
A provisional can establish an early filing date while a team develops the invention; a nonprovisional application and examination follow if protection is pursued.
WHY EXPERIENCE MATTERS
Engineering context meets patent practice
Software inventions often sit at the intersection of hardware, communications, data, and user-facing functionality. My electrical engineering background helps me ask useful technical questions and translate an engineering story into a patent strategy. As a registered patent attorney and Senior Vice President at Shuttleworth & Ingersoll, I bring that perspective to counsel for Iowa businesses—without promising a particular patent or litigation result.
WHAT WE HELP WITH
A focused patent work plan
- Patentability assessment framing and invention disclosure review
- Provisional and nonprovisional patent applications
- USPTO prosecution and examiner communications
- Portfolio strategy for products, platforms, and improvements
COMMON QUESTIONS
Software patent FAQs
Can software be patented?
Sometimes. A software-related invention may be eligible when it claims a patent-eligible technical process or system and satisfies requirements such as novelty, nonobviousness, and adequate disclosure. Eligibility depends on the particular claims and facts.
What about Alice and Section 101?
Section 101 addresses eligible subject matter, and Alice affects some computer-implemented claims. Describing a result on a generic computer may not be enough; the technical solution and claim language matter. A careful, current analysis is important.
Do I need a provisional application?
Not necessarily. A provisional can be useful when an invention is ready to describe but still evolving, but it is not a substitute for a well-supported later application and is not right for every situation. Timing, disclosure, and international plans should be considered.
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Have a software or computer-implemented invention?
Bring the technical story and business context. We can discuss possible next steps and the limits of any assessment.
Request a ConsultationAttorney advertising. This page provides general information, not legal advice or a guarantee of results. Patentability and outcomes depend on the facts and applicable law.
Iowa Patent Attorneys 