What is required to patent an idea?

Question

Do you need a drawing or an booklet showing what the invention does?

Answer 1

Consult a good patent lawyer

Answer 2

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:

1. Consult a patent lawyer and check if your idea can be patented.
2. Keep extensive records tracking the development of your idea.
3. Conduct an extensive research to find out if there are similar patents.
4. Document where, how and to whom you showed your idea.
5. Do your own market research if your idea is marketable
6. Explore the possibility of developing the product yourself, or licensing someone else to make the product for you.

To 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

Getting Started:

- The Ideabook = Keep a bound ideabook of your invention idea. Date your entries.
- Get it Notarized = get it officially confirmed that you conceived your invention idea on a particular date, and have your notes notarized.
- Seek and Search = Do your own patent search to ascertain if your invention is original and prospectively patentable.
- Create the Initial Prototype = Use simple materials to rig it up, to see if it works.
- 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.
- The Non-Disclosure Form = Agreement signed between you and anyone you reveal your invention to.

Moving Ahead

- Analyze Costs to Produce = Ascertain what the costs will be.
- The Evaluation Process = Analyze the benefits and features, strengths and weaknesses of your invention.
- Get a Professional Prototype = Have professional prototypes made, the quality of which can be shown to potential retail buyers.
- Protect Your Idea = Apply for a provisional patent yourself.
- The Non-Provisional Patent = Your patent attorney files your non-provisional patent application.

Options for Marketing

- Licensing = The inventor has the choice to license the invention to a manufacturer in exchange for a royalty percentage in sales.
- Manufacturing = Manufacturing and distributing your invention entails higher financial risk but can reap greater profits.

Here are some books that can help you:

From Patent to Profit by Bob De Matteis
Protecting Your #1 Asset : Creating Fortunes from Your Ideas : An Intellectual Property Handbook
Patents and How to Get One : A Practical Handbook
How to Register Your Own Trademark : With Forms
Patent It Yourself
Protecting Your Ideas : The Inventor's Guide to Patents

Answer 3

Filing for a patent is very difficult and expensive. You cant do it yourself, too many rules and regulations to get through. You will need a patent atty. Cost is about 5,000.00...
There is sooo much I could say about patents but dont have the space. My opinion is . In most cases dont file for a patent. There are sooo many reasons not to. Amoung them is, when you file you reveal your invention. There are lawyers who do nothing else but challenge patents. To defend your patent will require big bucks. The lawyers will win. So your patent is only as strong as your ability to defend it. I know this is not good news but be very careful.

Answer 4

i think you need more than just an idea. in other words you can't just say.."i have an idea for a flying boat" and expect to patent it. you need to have a set of working drawings for the manufacture..i'm not sure if you need to produce a working prototype or not. you would at least need to have some pretty good sketches and ideas of how it would be manufactured and exactly how it would operate, then you would see a patent attorney, who would then tell you exactly what would be required. the problem is you will be surprised at how many things are already patented and theres a very good chance that your idea is one of them. good luck.

Answer 5

See the patent law site below...

Answer 6

You do need an example of your idea, around £175 and a good description of how you can market your product.

Good luck

Answer 7

Information on patents:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patent

Information on patent applications:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patent_application

Information on patent prosecution:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patent_prosecution

Answer 8

that was the next question i was going to ask, you beat me too it, i will watch your answers though. ive got a really good idea for a computer game.