how can i protect my intrest when i aply for a patent.? i am a simple working man without mutch education and i supose i,m being paranoid but i have made something that works well and as far as i can determine has never ben patented.can anyone give me some good advice?
2006-12-11 11:22:56 · 2 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
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!
2006-12-12 02:22:10 · answer #1 · answered by TM Express™ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You and I are alike in many ways. Im only 21 so feel free to take your back hand to this answer.... but i too am trying to get my idea out. USPTO.com has alot of info thats useful. when reading you'll probably see somthing along the lines of getting a provisional patent. it protects your idea for up to 1 year until you can get a real patent. Its about $80 i think, but its worth checking out. you have good reason to be paranoid, there are people out there that are out there for the sole reason to steal ideas from inventors, but if you do everything correctly you'll be fine. just read as much as you can. You HAVE TO do your research. you can run a patent search (could take days) at the USPTO website. this should be the first thing you do making sure your product doesnt exist. 1 thing you shouldnt do is tell people about your product. a client of mine ended up fighting for 22k in court. Some people say that you dont have to get a lawyer, there are books that you can read that will help you work around not hiring lawyers. Personally Im not risking that much because i couldnt dish out 5-12k to have the lawyer type up a contract or 2.
i figured that if i get 2% of 2%of the total market for my product its 1.2million and 6k for lawyer fees is worth it.
Just do your research, i know you said you made your product but if you can, put yourself in that 3rd party persons shoes. How can you steal your own product. that is what can you do that will make it better. If you have any questions, or even answers id love to hear back from you.. im just as nervous as you are.
jlp.media@yahoo.com
2006-12-11 11:57:27 · answer #2 · answered by jlp.media 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋