Does anyone have advice for obtaining and safe and honest patent?
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!
219570
Prove, patent and present
499716
Don't worry about who is doing it, an agent or an attorney.  Just go to several patent firms and get a quote.  Several people will probably be working on it anyway.  It will be expensive no matter where you go.
512428
You can obtain a patent from the US patent office. It can take months to years, depending. You can use "patent pending" in the interim once you have actually applied.\n\nHere's where you start:\n\nhttp://www.uspto.gov/\n\nThat's the US patent office's website.\n\nHeop this helps, and good luck with your idea!\n--J.
33325
Go to the Patent Site.
1032182
Why would you want to show your future invention to a patent lawyer?  If you want to know if it has already been patented by someone else,  That is going to cost you some bucks ($500).\n\nLook around, chances are that if it has already been patented it will be already in use somewhere.  A Google search would be a good start.  If you are serious you may want to conduct a prior art search using the on-line patent search service like the one found at http://www.uspto.gov/patft/\n\nIf you can't find it anywhere, document your idea in a good quality note book (preferably one with a sewn binding) and have someone you trust, outside of the family, witness , sign and date each page.\n\nabove all, don't take it so seriously; have fun with it.
843093
If you are in the US, you go to the US Patent and Trademark Office to get a patent. http://www.uspto.gov/web/patents/howtopat.htm UPTO has a page on the Basic Facts of Patents that you may want to read http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/doc/general/index.html\n\nNote though that getting a patent is a complicated and costly process. It is best to work with a patent lawyer to help you navigate the process. The cost of filing a patent can go anywhere from $10K to $35K depending on the cost of your lawyer and what it is you are trying to patent
809368
A copywrite attorney will help protect your idea. Unlike an invention, which are governed by patent law, recipes are covered by copywrite law. Then, if all you have is an idea, you should pitch it to a candy company that manufactures gum. If you have an actual recipe, and can produce a batch to distribute as samples, go out and get financing to start your own small plant.\nFind some people who like your product and sell them a portion of your company. Always maintain at least 51% of the responsibility for the company, so you will have the final say in all decisions. Find a mentor who can advise you and get started.
518264
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 \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
481548
from personal experience-DO NOT I repeat DO NOT send your idea to one of those "help you patent" outfits- I did, and didn't have the money to follow through with a patent on my own- now a major company is making a knock off of my invention! if your idea is something totally new, then you need to figure out how to develop it your own- learn how to build it so you can see if it's a really valid idea. if an improvement to something that already exists you may be able to patent "improvement to prior art"- either way a good place to start is:\n\nhttp://www.uspto.gov/patft/index.html\n\nlook to see if anything already exists like your idea, and if not then start development!
898494
I wouldn't use any of those companies.  I also wouldn't advise trying to write a patent application yourself.  A patent that isn't written well isn't going to be worth anything. The specification and claims in the non-provisional application are critical. A badly written patent may not cover any products, may be too easy to design around, or may be too easy to invalidate.\n\nThe best thing you can do is get the advice of a qualified patent professional. He or she will help you learn whether your idea or invention is novel (new), whether it will be worthwhile to patent, and about how much it will cost to draft, file, and prosecute (expect to pay at least $5,000-$10,000 in United States to obtain a patent that will have any value).\n\nIf you can't afford to hire a patent attorney or agent, then for only $100 you can file a complete description of the invention as a provisional application for patent with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.  Your description must explain exactly and completely how to make, perform, enable, and practice your invention. Then you will have a year before you have to file a nonprovisional patent (which should be prepared only by a patent professional). In the meantime you can call your invention "patent pending" and you can show your idea to companies who might want to buy it.  See the link below to obtain the forms and complete instructions for filing a provisional patent application.\n\nIf you do find a major company who wants to buy your invention, then aside from paying you for it they will probably be happy to prepare, file, and prosecute the nonprovisional patent application (which saves you the cost of doing it) in return for your assigning the patent rights to them.\n\nAnd if it turns out that you are unable to interest anyone in buying your invention, and you don't want to try to make and market it yourself, then you will be out only $100 instead of having paid several thousand dollars to obtain a patent that you can't market.
142851
If it's a really good idea, I'd get a patent on it first... If you call carrier all those dirty crooks will do is steal your idea and make tons of money off it.
1096729
A patent is a contract between an inventor and the goverment. The inventor agrees to disclose the invention in its entirety and the government gives exclusive rights to produce, sell, import, and export in return. To obtain a patent, you have to be an inventor or co-inventor. You need to file a patent application with the US Patent & Trademark Office. The best way to do this is to hire a patent attorney or agent (agents are usually cheaper and perform the same function). They can file and argue on your behalf which, given the policies and procedures of the PTO, is extremely beneficial. Even though getting a patent a constitutionally-guaranteed right, that doesn't mean you get it free. Patents can be expensive after attorney/agent fees, PTO fees, and any other fees that may come up. That's why you should get an attorney/agent. You'll spend money, but you'll get the best patent possible. Otherwise you'll spend a lot of money, and may not even end up with a patent because you're not aware of how to write or prosecute a patent. As an example: I saw a patent application that had over 100 independent claim. The fee for this was over $10,000 and will have to be reworked from scratch. That's a lot of money to pay then have to start at square one.
687328
PI'm assuming you will want to patent your invention, since that is probably the best way to maximize its worth.  Patent law is a tricky, technical area, and it is worthwhile contacting a patent lawyer. \n\nOne of the presumptions to obtaining a patent is that you haven't shared the idea with anyone else (other than your advisors).  You should ask your lawyer whether this includes anyone with whom you've shared it for commercialization purposes.\n\nIn any case, what your potential investor is asking for is a right to be the sole option for commercialization - they will be the only person you let use your invention.  This is valuable to them, of course, because it means that they can establish a market for it before anyone else - think of popular items that we actually know of by their trade name, and you will understand the value (Kleenex, Thermos, e.g.).\n\nYou should be able to charge them a substantial fee for this beyond the normal production/distribution agreement.\n\nThere are several issues with these agrements - consider what happens if they don't promote your product, if they don't protect intellectual propoerty rights, whether you want them to be able to sell this right to someone else, etc.  These are all detailed aspects that are fact-driven, and you will want to discuss them with a competent IP or commercial lawyer.\n\nIf the exclusivity is just for a period to consider whether or not to invest or do business with you, then you will have to consider whether you need them to sign a confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement, how long you are prepared to sit and wait - and what that is worth to you, and similar issues.\n\nI would suggest that you ask for a copy of the agreement, sit and think about it for a while, and ask yourself the question "what can go wrong?" since contracts are about establishing a relationship - and are particularly for use after the relationship has turned sour.  \n\nYour lawyer should be able to give you an idea about the commercial realities in your area.  I would think that if it is just for consideration, you are looking at a much shorter time frame, and a low fee (if any).  For a development agreemeent of some sort, it will be much more valuable, and longer-term (perhaps as long as, or longer than, the term of the potential patent).\n\nGood luck.  Remember, if you want to get a patent, don't share your idea until you talk to your IP lawyer.
508060
Protect the idea; get an Intellectual Property attorney; sounds daunting but actually NOT that costly\n\nGordon Waggett in Houston is a good one.  \nwww.bnihouston.com - look under downtown chapter.
992860
If your budget is still tight, forget the whole matter.  Patent litigation is expensive.\n\nYou may be able to challenge the validity of their US patent (if they have one) on the grounds that it was non-novel (since your invention was out there and known to the world) .... again, takes money ...\n\nDepending upon the circumstances, you may have a non-patent claim, such as unfair competition ...\n\nYou need a lawyer ... should mention that for some cases, there are some lawyers here and there who will take your case on a contingency basis ... they'll get a piece of the action but it's better than losing the whole game
185391
Step one would be to come up with an original idea.\n\nAfter that, it just takes money and a lot of paper work to get the patent.\nhttp://www.uspto.gov/ebc/index.html