can anyone tell me how I can begin the patent process?
340561
Call a patent attorney. Seriously.
747907
NOLO is a great, free informational site. Also, be sure to read what the USPTO (United States Patent & Trademark Office) has to say about patents.\n\nAssociations may be a good avenue to explore. These organizations will address many of the thoughts, questions and concerns you'll inevitably have as well as many you haven't anticipated yet. See the source box for some relevant links. \n\nResearch, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can. Here are some book titles that are relevant:\n\nGetting a Patent:\n* Patent It Yourself (11th Edition) by David Pressman\n* Patents and How to Get One : A Practical Handbook by U.S. Department of Commerce\n* How To Make Patent Drawings Yourself: A Patent It Yourself Companion by Jack Lo\n* The Inventor's Notebook: A Patent It Yourself Companion by Fred E. Grissom\n\nThere are plenty of free informational resources out there. Check the source box for links to articles.\n\nHope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!
53131
Your new product should fall into one of these categories...\n\nThere are three types of patents: \n\n1) Utility patents may be granted to anyone who invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof; \n\n2) Design patents may be granted to anyone who invents a new, original, and ornamental design for an article of manufacture; and \n\n3) Plant patents may be granted to anyone who invents or discovers and asexually reproduces any distinct and new variety of plant. \n\nDefinitely contact an intellectual property attorney, as the other poster said. Also, read more about patents at the USPTO site & at Nolo. I listed the links.\n\nHope that helps!
404612
Not certain about the question, but the United States Patent Office is the best place to get clear and correct information about patents.  Go to uspto.com
337815
From the article "How to Protect Your Idea or Intellectual Property" http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol81/protect.htm  here are some steps you need to take:\n\n1. Consult a patent lawyer and check if your idea can be patented. \n2. Keep extensive records tracking the development of your idea.\n3. Conduct an extensive research to find out if there are similar patents. \n4. Document where, how and to whom you showed your idea.\n5. Do your own market research if your idea is marketable\n6. Explore the possibility of developing the product yourself, or licensing someone else to make the product for you. \n\nTo bring your idea to market, here are some tips from the article "How to Get Your Consumer Invention to Market" http://www.powerhomebiz.com/012006/invention.htm \n\nGetting Started: \n\n- The Ideabook = Keep a bound ideabook of your invention idea. Date your entries. \n- Get it Notarized = get it officially confirmed that you conceived your invention idea on a particular date, and have your notes notarized. \n- Seek and Search = Do your own patent search to ascertain if your invention is original and prospectively patentable.\n- Create the Initial Prototype = Use simple materials to rig it up, to see if it works. \n- Get Educated = Educate yourself on the inventing process. Go to a bookstore or inventorhelp.com and review the plethora of books written on the subject. \n- The Non-Disclosure Form = Agreement signed between you and anyone you reveal your invention to. \n\nMoving Ahead \n\n- Analyze Costs to Produce = Ascertain what the costs will be. \n- The Evaluation Process = Analyze the benefits and features, strengths and weaknesses of your invention. \n- Get a Professional Prototype = Have professional prototypes made, the quality of which can be shown to potential retail buyers. \n- Protect Your Idea = Apply for a provisional patent yourself. \n- The Non-Provisional Patent = Your patent attorney files your non-provisional patent application.\n\nOptions for Marketing\n\n- Licensing = The inventor has the choice to license the invention to a manufacturer in exchange for a royalty percentage in sales. \n- Manufacturing = Manufacturing and distributing your invention entails higher financial risk but can reap greater profits.\n\nHere are some books that can help you:\n\nFrom Patent to Profit by Bob De Matteis \nProtecting Your #1 Asset : Creating Fortunes from Your Ideas : An Intellectual Property Handbook \nPatents and How to Get One : A Practical Handbook \nHow to Register Your Own Trademark : With Forms \nPatent It Yourself \nProtecting Your Ideas : The Inventor's Guide to Patents
1017048
Research the idea on the US patent website.  If the idea has already been invented (but not marketed) you can not do anything more.  If it has not been invented, go find yourself a patent attorney!  Happy searching
668519
The patent is probablely out of this question.  I know that Price Line and others have gone that route, but it is expensive and a tough row to hoe. Furthermore, the US Patent Office does not play games; they just send back your application and they keep the money.\n\nIf you go this route, you will need a patent attorney.  There are not too many of them around - and they don't work cheap.\n\nCopyright is easy, and free.  Now if you wish to file with your states Attorney General of Sec. of State that will cost a couple of bucks (usually $25 - 50)\n\nGood luck -- DAVE
60795
From pantent agents call them up and theyll help you get your items patented heres a list of all of the ones in the US\n\nhttp://yellowpages.superpages.com/listings.jsp?SRC=411&C=patent&R=N&STYPE=S&MC=1&OO=1&F=1&CP=Legal+%26+Financial%5ELegal+Services%5EIntellectual+Property%5EPatent+Services%5EPatent+Agents
436457
Let's go from the top.\n\nAny idea that you have, that has not been done before, can be made into a patent.\n\nRule 1 Do not disclose any information to any person verbally or written as this is called prior disclosure and because you may have spoken to a friend about it means that the patent may no longer valid.\n\nRule 2 Try and do some research into your claim. Has anyone else worldwide thought of the same idea. Search for it elsewhere in your country or the world.\n\nRule 3 If it has not been done before, submit an initial claim to the Indian government patent society (or whatever they are called)\n\nRule 4 Get an Intellectual Properties Lawyer to sign a non disclosure agreement or intellectual property rights agreement. Once this is done you can discuss only with him. He can then progress all the legal requirements necessary.\n\nAt this point once the patent application is registered you can get financial backing by offering a small stake to potential licencees (ensure that you sign a confidentiality agreement first).\n\nRule 5 Decide on which countries to persue your patent in, as registering a patent in lots of countries costs a great deal of money to do. (Lawyer will advise)\n\nI wish you every success.
147544
It is difficult and complicated. Many forms to fill out and research to do. Thats why many people have a firm do it for them.  First you should search the US Patent office databases for patents similar to your keyords.  (the first link below).  Maybe someone has already thought of your bright idea.  If your idea has even been detailed in a public document *ever* then, ouch! Cant do it.\n\nBut you should prolly read the USPTO 'guide' at the second link below.
26833
Khristophoros,   Obtaining a patent may or may be possible in your case, seek the advice of a patent attorney if possible, they may give you a few minutes of their time free.  The biggest issue you may face is defending your patent once established.  \n\nWhy not simply build a protoype of your product, take it to a manufacturer and see if they would partner with you in launching your company?  You gotta start somewhere, your garage is good a place as any to launch from.  Afterall that's how Apple started. ;-)\n\nGood luck.
512955
I would like to suggest something from my own experience. I had invented a flow measuring system. That i sold to a company. The credit now lies with the company, that bluffed me. won't tell the name but is a big company in the world. \n\nBefore you sale the invention, try and git the international patent in your name. Please consider this sereously. Can you tell a bit about your your invention? The principle of operation etc. Can you mail that to me?
843193
how much time do you have?\nfirst, today, mail yourself 5 copies of your ideas in seperate envelopes. you wnat the postage cancellation date. if you go to the post office and get a hand cancellation, they are always bold and obvious. \nthe extras are for contingencies. do not tell anyone you have 5 envelopes, if anything let them know you have only1, and keep the others in seperate "hidy holes"\nwhen you/if you go to an attorney, he gets an unopened letter.\nthis proves the date of your idea.\nwrite the patent office, ask for requirements for a patent and how to access their records for a search.\ni do not know what the records look like, but gvt records have a shorthand notation of content. if you have amechanical device then agricultural, medical, hydraulic..... items are not going to compete with your ideas.\nyou have to prove to the p o that your idea is not a logical extension of an existing idea.\nexample is the release button on ratchet wrenches. great idea, but it was ruled an idea whose time had come.\nhow extensive do you go? if you are smart enough to figure out several great ideas, you probably will get an inkling of how much you will have to do.\nwhat industries would likely use your ideas?\nwrite to the leaders, conceptually give them an idea of what you have, explain (if you can) what is in if for them to buy your idea(s)\nat some point you will have to establ;ish your idea date. that is 1 reason for multiple letters.\nif you have to sue, you better have a letter to open in court.\nhaving one for discovery won't hurt.
90301
You should consult with a "Patent Attorney" to properly protect your invention, establish priority (document that you are the first inventor), have a patent search performed (usually by specialists) to prove novelty and to prepare a patent application in the correct form.  Bar Associations can give you lists of patent attorneys (near you?).  You should avoid disclosing your invention (except to a disinterested witness who can testify that they inderstand the invention and the date they witnessed it and sign and date a sketch, etc.) to the public because it may enter the public domain and you could lose all rights to it.  Often, you have only one year to apply for a patent once it is publically disclosed.  Good luck.
25077
Your new product should fall into one of these categories...\n\nThere are three types of patents: \n\n1) Utility patents may be granted to anyone who invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof; \n\n2) Design patents may be granted to anyone who invents a new, original, and ornamental design for an article of manufacture; and \n\n3) Plant patents may be granted to anyone who invents or discovers and asexually reproduces any distinct and new variety of plant. \n\nDefinitely contact an intellectual property attorney. Also, read more about patents at the USPTO site & at Nolo. I listed the links.\n\nI also listed some handy marketing links.\n\nDo you have a name in mind for your product? Prior to investing your time, money & effort into a name, it is strongly advised that comprehensive research be conducted to ensure that the name you're interested in is truly available. \n\nThis entails searching the pending & registered Federal and State trademark files as well as the US National Common-Law files. Then, if clear, you can decide if you would like to file for a Federal or a State trademark. \n\nResearch is needed to make sure your trade name is legally available, before opening, before expansion, before incorporation or before designing your logo. Similarities in sound, appearance and meaning affect you too!\n\nThere are 16+ million trade names in use in the United States. Similar names matter, if close in sound, appearance or meaning. Similar names in related classes, distribution channels and customer matter too. You are affected by Common Law use (14 million), State Trademarks (500,000) and Federal Trademarks (2 million). \n\n\nHope that helps!
985691
Would suggest approach an agent of the office of patents. You can get the list of agents from this site:\nhttp://www.patentoffice.nic.in/ipr/patent/patent_agent_2006.pdf
661592
Not possible unless you get a partner and then you run the risk of getting ripped off .If you can't afford the patent how are you going to start a buisness?