From sensor systems to power electronics, Craige Thompson is a licensed electrical engineer (PE) and USPTO-registered patent attorney who drafts electrical claims that hold up to scrutiny — because he can read the schematic himself, not a simplified summary of it.
An electrical patent protects the hardware side of an invention — the circuits, sensors, and power systems that make a product work, and the specific way they solve a technical problem. We regularly handle:
Many electrical inventions also involve embedded software or a mechanical housing — when that's the case, we assess whether the invention needs a companion software or mechanical patent alongside the electrical claims to protect the whole product.
Most patent attorneys who handle electrical work are trained as lawyers first and learn the engineering secondhand. Craige Thompson is a licensed electrical engineer (PE) and USPTO-registered patent attorney (Reg. No. 47,990) — he can read your circuit schematics and test data directly and draft claims that accurately capture the electrical innovation, rather than translating a simplified explanation. That precision is what makes an electrical patent durable enough to hold up in licensing negotiations or litigation.
Tell us about your invention in a Complimentary Patent Needs Assessment. We'll tell you honestly whether it's patentable, what it would take to protect it, and what it would cost.
Get a Complimentary Patent Needs AssessmentYes, if the circuit includes a specific, non-obvious way of solving a technical problem — a new topology, a more efficient way of measuring or converting a signal, or a novel combination of components. A circuit that simply combines well-known components in a predictable way is unlikely to be patentable on its own.
An electrical patent covers the hardware — the circuit, sensor, or power system itself. A software patent covers the code that controls it. Many products need both: the electrical claims protect the physical design, and the software claims protect the firmware or algorithms running on it.
No. You need to describe the circuit or system in enough technical detail — typically schematics, block diagrams, and a description of how the signals flow — that someone skilled in electrical engineering could build and test it. A working prototype can help but isn't required.
Typically 18 months to 3+ years from filing, depending on the technology area and USPTO backlog. Track One expedited examination can shorten this substantially for an added fee.
Yes. Most patents are improvements on existing technology rather than something built from scratch — what matters is that the improvement is specific, technical, and not obvious to someone already skilled in the field.
