Article: Not every idea is protectable under the law, and you should know exactly what you’re trying to protect before you decide how to proceed. For example, is your idea to open a donut shop? That idea will not be protectable under the law, though you can certainly take steps to keep it secret from your competitors by not telling anyone about your plans. On the other hand, is your idea a specific formula for a new kind of donut icing? That’s the kind of idea that can be protected under the law. Do you plan to keep your idea secret from everyone else in the world? Or, as in the donut icing example, are you hoping to keep the secret just from your business competitors? Do you want your idea to stay secret forever, or would a limited time suit your needs? These are important considerations in deciding what kind of protection you want to pursue. Under the U.S. patent laws, any person who “invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent.”   Ideas alone cannot be patented: one of the requirements for obtaining a patent is to provide a complete description and diagramming of the process, machine, etc. sought to be patented.  If your invention qualifies for patent protection, you can file an application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO). A PTO employee (known as an examiner) will consider your application to determine whether your invention is new and non-obvious as compared to prior inventions. If the examiner determines that you should receive a patent, you will have the exclusive right to make, use, or sell the invention for 20 years from the date you filed the application. You can then sue others in federal court for patent infringement if you discover they are making use of your patented invention without your permission. This is a much less detailed filing with a much lower filing fee ($260 as of December 2014). The provisional application is good for up to 12 months, or until you file a formal (or non-provisional) application to replace it. A provisional application allows you to “hold” the date of your invention while you decide whether you want to formally apply for a patent.   If you do eventually file a formal application and there is any question as to the date of invention (if the examiner suspects someone else came up with the invention before you), the invention date will “relate back” to the provisional application, which may be as much as a year earlier. You cannot renew a provisional application after the 12-month period expires. If you decide not to proceed with a formal patent application, the provisional application will be considered "abandoned" after the 12-month period. If you decide that your invention does not qualify for patent protection (or you elect not to apply for a patent for any other reason), your idea or invention may still be protectable under trade secret law.  Trade secrets cover a much broader spectrum of inventions than patents. They can include formulas, patterns, compilations, programs, devices, methods, techniques, and processes. The most well-known example of a trade secret is Coca-Cola’s formula. For the past ninety years, Coca-Cola has kept its formula top secret. It has never patented its formula, because that would mean the formula would have been made public after a number of years. Coca-Cola maintains a competitive advantage by keeping its formula secret. Both types of intellectual property provide certain potential benefits and drawbacks, so be sure to consider all the information before deciding which route to take.  Advantages and disadvantages of patents include:  A patent gives you the ability to exclude others from making, using, or selling your invention for 20 years. Anyone seeking to use your invention during that time must get your permission, and this often includes entering into a license agreement for which the other party will pay you. The prospect of lucrative license agreements may be very attractive to other companies that wish to merge or acquire your company. The patent application process often takes a long time (often several years). Many patent applications are never granted. Patent application fees are substantial, and you will likely need to pay a patent attorney to properly prepare your application, which must include a detailed description and diagrams of your invention. With few exceptions, patent applications are required to be published 18 months after they are filed.   After 20 years, the patent expires, which means anyone can make, use, or sell the invention. Once you consider the potential benefits or shortfalls of patent protection, think about the advantages and disadvantages of trade secrets. These include:  You don’t have to file any documents or pay any money to acquire trade secret protection. Trade secret protection takes effect immediately, and it never expires (unless the information is disclosed to the public). You can sue a wrongdoer for trade secret misappropriation, and that suit can be brought in state court, which often moves faster than federal court. You have no exclusive rights to the secret information. Another person can independently develop the idea or reverse engineer your product, and they cannot be held accountable under the law. If you later decide to patent the invention, you must apply for the patent within one year of coming up with the complete idea. Therefore, you cannot hold information as trade secret for longer than a year if you intend to eventually patent it
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Identify the subject matter of your idea. Determine the extent to which you need to protect your idea. Patent your invention. File a provisional patent application. Determine whether your idea qualifies for trade secret protection. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of patent protection. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of trade secret protection.
Article: If you want the tree to produce fruiting branches low to the ground, you can prune it to knee height and cut back the side branches to one or two buds. This will direct the tree's energy to producing low branches at the cuts you made. On the other hand, you can lop off the bottom branches if you'd prefer the tree not to have branches low to the ground. Many fruit tree growers use a diluted solution of half white latex paint, half water to paint the tree trunk to act as a sunscreen. If you live in a region with very strong sun, like the Southwestern US, using this method will protect your tree from sun damage. It's important to weed the area around the tree as it grows to protect the roots and keep the tree growing healthy and strong. Pull the weeds by hand, rather than using an herbicide. Keeping the soil constantly wet is not necessary, and can lead to the roots rotting. Let the rainwater your tree. If a week has passed with no rainfall, water it thoroughly, then let it dry out again.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Decide how to prune. Protect the tree from sunburn. Control weeds. Don't overwater.