can i have my idea for a tv show patented at the intellectual property office?

Question

will this patently protect my idea.

Answer 1

The other answerers almost have it exactly correct.

You can not patent a literary work (such as a screenplay or TV script), as this type of work falls under the scope of the Copyright Act.

Immediately after converting the work from an idea in your head to words on paper (which is called putting it into a "tangible medium of expression"), you AUTOMATICALLY hold the US copyright (assuming you're in the US) for that work. As such, you have almost all of the rights granted in the Act.

In fact, you can even sue to stop someone who steals your work from benefitting from the theft. What you do NOT have yet is the ability to sue for damages in the event that someone steals your work and claims it as their own. To obtain that added benefit of the Act, you need to register your copyright. You can do this by simply downloading the appropriate forms from the Copyright Office at the US Library of Congress. Fill them out, send them in with a copy of your work and $20. And in a few weeks, you'll receive a certification back that your work has been registered. You may now fully protect your work to the fullest extent of US law.

Good luck!

Answer 2

no... patents are only for technical renderings of products (like widgets) or bioproducts (such as genetic engineered organisms)

What you are looking at needing is a Copyright. You can't copyright an idea, but you can copyright most literary, performance, or visual art works, such as a book, a musical score, a choreography, a photograph or film, or A SCRIPT OF A PILOT.

You need to 1) write a script. 2) file a copyright application with the US Patent and Trademark Office and 3) get an agent.

In order to avoid allegations of plagarism, studios will return or destroy any unsolicited scripts sent to them without reading them. Don't waste your time and money.

If you are serious about pitching your idea, buy a copy of "The Writer's Market" and find an agent that specializes in the type of work you want to write.

Answer 3

You can't patent or copyright an "idea!"

Patents are typically for inventors. If you designed a new screwdriver, you would get a patent on it.

Copyrights are for intellectual property, you can copyright your written material, such as as song lyrics, a play, a novel, poetry, motion picture script, etc.

Copyright it like this:
At the bottom of your page type:
(c) 2006 All domestic and International Rights Reserved.
Written by: Your name.

You can copyright with U.S. copyright office, there is a fee, it's not necessary to copyright with them. http://www.copyright.gov/

I copyright everything I write, with the U.S. copyright office,
that's me, not everyone does it. It gives me comfort!

There is also: http://www.wgaeast.org/ Writers' Guild.

If you have only an "idea," I think you need to put it in a tangible form, so it can be copyrighted, depending on your "idea."

Whatever idea you have for your game show, guard it with your life, keep it to yourself, otherwise, some "big-mouth," may take your idea and become a millionaire on YOUR idea.

You may want to to consult with an Intellectual Property attorney to confirm the steps you need to take to protect yourself.

Good luck.

Answer 4

It will take 3 to 6 years for a patent and can cost as musch as $10,000 attorney fees.
Why not just copyright it at the US Patent office or WorldWideOCR?

Answer 5

No you can't. YOu can patent a process but not an idea.

Answer 6

Nope, but if you go ahead and produce the show, then you can receive a copyright, and the show, and the idea, then belong exclusively to you, only then does it become you property.