What is the easiest way to get a patent on an idea?

Answer 1

It is not possible to protect ideas but rather the representation of that idea.

To protect an original invention OR a significant improvement to an existing product, a patent would be filed. Here's the USPTO's definition: http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/doc/general/index.html#patent

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.

Associations 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.

Research, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can. Here are some book titles that are relevant:

Getting a Patent:
* Patent It Yourself (11th Edition) by David Pressman
* Patents and How to Get One : A Practical Handbook by U.S. Department of Commerce
* How To Make Patent Drawings Yourself: A Patent It Yourself Companion by Jack Lo
* The Inventor's Notebook: A Patent It Yourself Companion by Fred E. Grissom

There are plenty of free informational resources out there. Check the source box for links to articles.

Hope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!

Answer 2

Very sorry to let you know that you cannot patent an idea. You can't copyright one, either. You must have a unique product with a plan to produce it or a piece of writing that defines in specific terms what you are writing. A treatment for a writing project may be copyrighted, I believe, but just an idea or a title may not.

To do a Poor Man's Copyright for writing, you simply make a copy of it and send it to yourself in a sealed envelope. You declare in the envelope that this is your original work and should someone come up with a similar project later and you can prove that they have had access to your writing and plagerized it, you may have grounds for a lawsuit.

With a product, perhaps just sending a design plan for it (ie. a new mousetrap) or a working model? to yourself might protect it, but the US Patent Office has a whole bunch of hoops you must jump through to be assigned an official patent. What you get, finally, is a verification from the Government that your idea is unique and you alone have the right to produce it.

If you have an actual invention, a unique intellectual property, etc. just do a search on line for the US Patent Office and they'll walk you through the process.