how do we know a product or idea is patented or not???
599068
patents are a highly specialized field of law. \n\ncheck out the patent office..but before you go ahead with anything..i would dish out the bucks for the patent attorney!
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!
479389
Tell me what the product is. No I am just kidding. First write down the complete details of your idea, seal it in an envelope, go to your local post office and send the package back to yourself as a certified letter, and most importantly don't open this envelope ever. store it someplace safe. This establishes a timeline for your idea. Then begin your search at www.uspto.gov. there are a lot of website that offer complete patent search capabilities but you want to go directly to the source. Further this site will direct you to other resources that will help you secure your patent quickly and easily.
229680
Go to the patent office search page.  See below.
732467
Is there a contract ? A patent? Do you own the rights to this item? Charge them!
249662
Questions like that require the expertise of a patent lawyer examining the specific elements of your invention, the pending patent applications, and the international implications.  It's an extremely difficult to determine with all the details, much less with the quick facts posted on Yahoo!  Consult an attorney as soon as possible.
313858
You can search patents directly off the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's website: http://www.uspto.gov/. They even have a 7-step process to help you figure out the best way to search them. good luck!
52076
You need a good patent attorney, period.  You must understand that 95% never get off the ground. It is not just about your idea- it is about your marketing, sales and distrubution- these things take capital.  Look at the club- if I told you 20 years ago, I had a piece of metal that you slap on your steering wheel you would say to get lost but it was marketed like mad and it made millions.  You can patent something and years later have a company contact you to buy the rights- my friend of my friend put a light in a tackle box and 2 years later settled for 3 million from a company that had the same idea- he owned the rights!  Innoventions are a good way to go also...think BASF- make something good, better.
950823
Go to www.inventconnect.com.au and join the website... Register or list your idea on there and ask them through their FAQ section... There is heaps of info regarding patents and other stuff in the inventors resources area...\n\nThere are lists and contact details for patent attorneys as well...
468284
From the article "How to Protect Your Idea or Intellectual Property" http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol81/protectidea.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 \n Patents and How to Get One : A Practical Handbook \n How to Register Your Own Trademark : With Forms \n Patent It Yourself \n Protecting Your Ideas : The Inventor's Guide to Patents
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.
1170104
There's that obnoxious commercial on TV that says you can patent your ideas, but they want money for telling you how. I would just contact the US patent office directly. Google should be able to give you the address and phone number. Good luck.
273584
You're going to have to narrow your question a bit.\n\nTypically a drug has multiple patents, such as the active compound, the method of producing the compound, the method of treating a patient using the compound, the sustained release formulation, etc.\n\nYou need to determine which patents are applicable.  The term of the patent depends on when it was filed.  If you contact the USPTO with the patent numbers they'll tell you when it comes off patent.  800-786-9199.
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It sounds like you created a new product and you're getting ready to put it on the market. That's great! Here are some steps to consider assuming you have completed the patent process:\n\n1. Create initial prototype in order to check if it works\n2. Prepare a non disclosure form to protect your invention before it hits the market when you show it to prospective investors or dealers or marketing partners\n3. Analyze costs to produce\n4. Evaluate the benefits and features of your product as this will shape your marketing strategy\n5. Get a professional prototype that you will show to prospective retail buyers\n6. Apply for provisional patent\n7. If you want to license the product to a manufacturer, find a licensing agent in your industry (Typically, an inventor can expect to receive royalties of between 3 to 7 percent of net sales)\n8. If you decide to manufacture and market the product yourself, you stand to profit more but will require greater capital
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First, file a complaint against the company with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. see http://www.uspto.gov/web/forms/2048.pdf\n\nNext, collect all of your materials, including copies of the materials you sent to/received from the invention company, and find a registered patent attorney to advise you.\n\nI wouldn't worry much about the company stealing your idea. They make their money by extracting $700 - $21,000 from solo inventors and aren't geared up to do more than push paper. However, they can compromise your ability to obtain patent protection in other ways, so do consult with a registered patent attorney. You can find one near you with this link: http://des.uspto.gov/OEDCI/GeoRegion.jsp\n\nGood luck.
178589
The first step is to get your idea patented....you don't want to contact MS with your idea and have them steal it...it happened to me with an invention...make sure you CYA
469623
From the article "How to Protect Your Idea or Intellectual Property" http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol81/protectidea.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, you may want to read "How to Get Your Consumer Invention to Market" http://www.powerhomebiz.com/012006/invention.htm \n\nGood luck