PTRC: Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights: Home
Kelley Center Classes
Register for intellectual property classes
- Free online IP classes!Interested in learning the basics of IP? What about the patent process, or searching for patents and trademarks? Sign up for one of these weekly classes, taught in rotation year round.
Patent and Trademark Resource Center
The USPTO administers the Patent and Trademark Resource Center Program, a national network of public, state, and academic libraries designated as Patent and Trademark Resource Centers (PTRC), authorized by 35 U.S.C. 12 to:
- Disseminate patent and trademark information, and
- Support diverse intellectual property needs of the public.
Fondren Library's PTRC is part of the Kelley Center for Government Information, located in the basement.
PTRC staff can provide:
- Education on intellectual property topics (including patents and trademarks);
- Directions to authoritative patent and trademark information; and
- Specialized instruction for the patent and trademark searching processes.
PTRC staff cannot conduct patent or trademark searches on anyone's behalf.
PTRC staff are not attorneys and cannot provide legal advice.
Visit the USPTO for legal assistance and resources.
Please check Fondren Library's event calendar for the next scheduled PTRC classes, always free and open to the public.
Call (713) 348-4356 and/or email govhelp@rice.edu to schedule an appointment with the PTRC Representative Hannah Edlund.
More PTRC information
It is always best to contact the Kelley Center before visiting in-person; PTRC staff may not be available to assist you due to previous engagements. Please call (713) 348-5483 or email govhelp@rice.edu for an appointment, so we may prepare for your visit. We are located in Fondren Library's basement.
To locate the library and visitor parking lots, visit the Rice University campus maps webpage.
The best visitor parking lots for accessing Fondren Library are Entrance 3 Garage, Founder's Court Lot or Central Campus Garage.
View current parking rates and the facilities on this webpage.
Rice parking department: (713) 348-2020
Physical address for Rice University: 6100 Main St., Houston, TX 77005
United States Patent and Trademark Office
- USPTO Patent BasicsThe United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is the federal agency for granting U.S. patents and registering trademarks.
One can find most information relating to patents and trademarks (including but not limited to filing information, forms, fee schedule, how to search patent and trademark databases) on the official site. - About the USPTOFeatures short video presentations on various topics by USPTO.
- USPTO LocationsThe United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) operates a headquarters and Eastern Regional Outreach Office in Alexandria, Virginia, and four additional regional offices across the nation.
- Texas Regional OfficeThe Texas Regional Office (TXRO) is located in the Terminal Annex Federal Building of downtown Dallas. An extension of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office headquarters, Texas regional office serve the Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas regions.
Other PTRCs in the State of Texas (Please call ahead before visiting these PTRCs in person.)
The McKinney Engineering Library, University of Texas at Austin. Phone: 512-495-4503
- University of Texas at Austin's Patent research guide.
Business Library & Collaboration Commons, Texas A&M University Libraries, College Station. Phone: 979-845-2111.
- Texas A&M University's Patent research guide.
Dallas Public Library Phone: 214-670-1468
Texas Tech University Libraries Phone: 806-834-2632
Getting Started
- Trademark, Patent, or Copyright?A rubric guide to differentiating these three types of intellectual property, and an explanation of trademark vs. brand.
- IP IdentifierLearn how to identify and protect your IP with the USPTO's interactive tool.
- IP Awareness Assessment by USPTOA tool to evaluate the category of your intellectual property.
- Patent PolicyU.S. patent policy basics webpage.
- Trademark PolicyU.S. trademark policy basics webpage.
- Copyright PolicyU.S. copyright policy basics webpage.
- Find a Patent PractitionerSearch for a patent attorney or agent using various parameters such as location, name, or USPTO registration code.
- Legal Clinics of South Texas College of Law HoustonSouth Texas College of Law provides Pro Bono service for the patent application process (legal assistance only; applicants still pay other fees). Click "Contact Us" on the left side of the screen to request assistance.
- Patent Pro Bono for InventorsTexas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts works with the USPTO to provide patent pro bono services for those who qualify. Register for their assistance or contact the program for more information.
- Pro Se Assistance ProgramIf you intend to pursue your patent on your own (pro se), the USPTO provides resources to help on this page.
