Protect the Ideas
Building Tomorrow
Patent strategy and prosecution for AI, robotics, semiconductor, and wireless innovations, from a registered patent agent with an electrical-engineering background.
Patent Preparation & Prosecution
Applications drafted around the invention and its commercial variants, and office-action responses grounded in the record.
Strategic IP Counsel
Invention disclosure workshops and portfolio direction reviews that tie patents to product and funding decisions.
Patent & Industry Landscapes
Maps of patent activity and competitor positions that inform R&D, filing, and positioning decisions.
How Working Together Starts
1. Book
Book a paid consultation or a free 15-minute fit call.
2. Scope
We confirm the technology, your goals, and run a conflict check.
3. Engage
You receive a written scope and a flat or starting-at fee before work begins.
Technical Expertise Meets Legal Excellence
Founder Tim Bright (USPTO Reg. No. 76,894) is a registered patent agent with a BSEE and more than ten years in patent prosecution, including Director of Patent Prosecution at a startup patent firm and patent agent at an AmLaw 100 firm.
✓ Patent prosecution leadership
✓ Electrical engineering and software development
✓ Semiconductor and wireless experience
✓ USPTO and PCT prosecution
Technologies We Work In
AI & Machine Learning
Claims for models, training pipelines, and applied ML that survive eligibility review.
Robotics & Automation
Control systems, end effectors, sensing, and autonomous workflows.
Semiconductors
Process, packaging, chip architecture, and mask-work protection.
Wireless & IoT
5G, connected devices, and standards-adjacent inventions.
Trusted by Inventors and Technology Teams
“Tim helped me build out my entire patent portfolio... and covered embodiments I didn't even know were patentable.”
— Paul, Founder, Tooling Company
“Tim handled some of our complex semiconductor prosecution... Highly efficient.”
— Semiconductor Client
“He helped me focus on what was actually valuable and worthwhile. I feel confident that my patents have really captured the invention.”
— Nabile, Independent inventor
Practical IP Guidance for Emerging Technologies
The Founders Playbook
Short, practical answers for technical founders, from deciding what to protect to prosecution, allowance, and portfolio value.
Patent Prosecution for Emerging Technologies
Long-form chapters with charts and data on claim strategy, eligibility, office actions, and allowance. The book in progress.
Technology Landscapes
Patent and market trends in semiconductors, precision agriculture, AI tools, and standards.
Common Questions
What does a patent agent do?
A registered patent agent is licensed by the USPTO to prepare and prosecute patent applications. Matters outside USPTO practice, such as infringement opinions or litigation, are referred to patent attorneys.
How much does a patent application cost?
Bright-Line IP prepares utility applications for a base flat fee starting at $4,500, plus USPTO and drawing costs confirmed in the written scope.
Should I file a provisional first?
Often, but only if it describes the invention with full nonprovisional depth. A thin provisional may not secure the priority date you think it does.
Do you work with startups outside Maryland?
Yes. USPTO practice is national, and consultations are remote.