Altus IP Facts

What Services Does Altus IP Provide?

Altus IP assists businesses in protecting their proprietary information and intellectual property.  Our services include intellectual property management counseling, trade secret auditing, intellectual property blueprint design, employee intellectual property training, employee exit interviews and Human Resources counseling.

What Exactly is IP?

IP or Intellectual Property is a creation of the mind for which legal rights are recognized. In the United States, there are four types of intellectual property: patents, trade secrets, copyrights, and trademarks. In general, patents protect tangible inventions or discoveries; trade secrets protect proprietary business information; copyrights protect various forms of written and artistic expression; and trademarks protect names, symbols or packaging that identifies the source of goods or services.

What types of Businesses Do You Assist?

Altus IP helps all types of businesses.  From design companies, to manufacturers, to service companies, to restaurants, every business has proprietary and intellectual property assets that must be protected.

How is Altus IP Different from Traditional Intellectual Property Counsel?

Altus IP is different from traditional intellectual property counsel in two ways: (1) we focus on utilizing trade secrets and (2) we look at your entire business to assist you in designing an intellectual property portfolio. 
Traditionally, you go to an intellectual property practitioner when you want to file a patent, trademark or copyright application.  Altus IP is here to help before you reach these points.  Before you file a registration, we help you analyze how the registration will affect your other intellectual property and business goals and determine the best way to protect this intellectual property.  If it includes registration, we will determine what aspects you should register and what aspects should be kept as trade secrets.  Then, we work with your registration counsel to make sure the intellectual property as registered furthers the business goals you have for your intellectual property portfolio. 
Additionally, you may traditionally seek intellectual property counsel for litigation purposes.  By utilizing trade secrets and strategic intellectual property protection, Altus IP helps you avoid litigation or, if inevitable, puts you in the best position to assert your intellectual property rights. 

How does Altus IP work with other attorneys? 

In an IP Blueprint, Altus IP will design for you an intellectual property portfolio considering all types of intellectual property protection.  Your portfolio design may include federal registrations such as patents, trademarks or copyrights.  Altus IP will recommend to you counsel experienced in drafting and filing these registrations.  Altus IP will work with your chosen counsel to ensure they understand your intellectual property goals and are seeking appropriate protection to further these goals.  By knowing what you would like to register beforehand, working with Altus IP will minimize the time and costs spent by the registering attorney. 

My Business has Proprietary Information.  Can Altus IP help me protect this Information?

Yes, One of Altus IPÂ’s main goals is to assist businesses in protecting their proprietary information.  With abundant internal and external threats, businesses must legally protect their proprietary information to ensure they maximize the value and usefulness of their proprietary assets.  There are several types of intellectual property that may protect your proprietary information.  Altus IP will analyze your business and its practices, determine what types of intellectual property protection are available and create a plan for legally protecting your proprietary information.  Generally, proprietary information is protected by trade secrets.

I already have a Copyright, Trademark or Patent.  Can I benefit from Altus IPÂ’s Services?

Yes.  Even if you already have some form of intellectual property, we can still help you determine whether you are using your intellectual property assets strategically and whether you have additional intellectual property assets.  Also, you may have proprietary information which can be legally protected.  Altus IP can help you identify this information and offer a plan to protect it. 

Why Does Altus IP Emphasize Trade Secret Protection? 

Altus IP emphasizes trade secret protection because trade secrets provide broad legal protection to both technical and non-technical information for a minimal cost. 

Why the name Altus IP?

Altus IP was named for the Latin word Altus which means to develop, nourish and grow.  We strive to assist businesses in developing, nourishing and growing their intellectual property. 

Why Work with Altus IP?

Altus IPÂ’s focus is assisting businesses identify and utilize their intellectual property strategically and efficiently.  ThatÂ’s it.  We focus our practice and field of study on staying current in intellectual property protection.  In addition to intellectual property practices and laws, we stay current on the latest electronic and physical security measures in order to counsel our clients in legally protecting their proprietary information.  Because we limit our main practice to these areas, our time and energy is spent making sure your business takes advantage of the intellectual property it has worked so hard to create.    

How do Altus IPÂ’s Fees work?

Generally, Altus IP charges an hourly rate.  For larger projects such as IP Blueprints and trade secret audits, we work with you to create a budget ahead of time to make things easier for you.  Our goal is to add value to your business and that includes tailoring the time and scope of the project to fit your needs.  

Where are you Based?

Altus IP's office is based in the South East in Greenville, SC a hub of mid-sized and large-scale business development including Michelin, General Electric, BMW and Milliken. Altus IP assists businesses across the country and is able to work with you virtually and travel to your site as required.