I recently received an excellent comment about invention prototyping from one of our readers, Brian Wilkes. It is such a smart idea, I thought I’d pass it along in addition to the other posts regarding prototyping inventions. Here is Brian’s information: Eric, I will reiterate what I have read from some of the rest of [...]
You can, indeed, patent a new use for an existing invention. For instance, about 10 years ago, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals allowed a patent on an invention that used “Bag Balm” (a medicinal treatment for irritated cow udders) to treat male baldness. And there are many other instances of these sorts of “new [...]
The answer is YES — you can patent a board game. Filing a patent application on a board game is a great step prior to contacting a game board manufacturer. That will give you a degree of intellectual property (IP) rights that you wouldn’t have if you simply contacted a manufacturer out of the blue. [...]
Creating a working prototype can be one of the most daunting steps in the entire invention and patent process. For some of my inventions — particularly mechanical ones — the first thing I do is roam hardware stores in search of components that I can cobble together to make a crude, but functional, device. I [...]
The simple answer to these three popular questions is: No. First and foremost, every invention must be totally “novel”. It must be something that the inventor conceived of independent of any other source. It cannot have existed anywhere before. Hence, that’s why it is an “invention”. The “novel” aspect is so critically important, it is [...]
“Is there such a thing as a worldwide patent?” That’s a question I get all of the time, as many inventors are concerned that their inventions are “protected” globally. Since this question and concern comes up frequently, I thought I’d write a post specifically on this topic. To make a long story short, there is [...]
I have been surprised by the number of people who have asked me if a food (or a food ingredient) can be patented. To be honest, I never thought about patenting a food until these questions popped up in this forum. I’ve researched this a bit. It seems, in certain instances, food products and food [...]
This is a question I get all of the time. If the existing device is patented, you’re on thin ice right off the bat. It’s risky. The last thing you want to do is infringe on someone’s patent — and open the door to litigation. For most cases, especially if you are a new inventor, [...]
A college “composition” notebook is a simple and inexpensive way to create an inventor’s notebook. Because of its stitched binding, you can’t (easily) remove the pages or alter the page order. I recommend simply numbering all of the pages in consecutive order prior to using it. As you write your ideas / inventions into the [...]
I receive lots of questions regarding the definition of patent. The following is the verbatim definition from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO): What Is a Patent? A patent for an invention is the grant of a property right to the inventor, issued by the Patent and Trademark Office. The term of a new [...]
How patent process works — FREE information on the steps involved in getting a patent on an idea or invention from Patent-Your-Inventions.com
The role of the U.S. Patent Office in obtaining an invention patent. The U.S. Patent Office (or more properly, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, aka, the USPTO) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce that issues patents to inventors (and businesses) for inventions.
Yes, you can patent a design. In fact, there is a patent type that is specifically for that purpose called (not surprisingly) a Design Patent. For starters, please review my post called: “Three types of patents. How to choose the right one for your invention.”
Can you patent a Web site? In most cases, no. However, the content of a Web site can be covered by copyright, which is another form of intellectual property. More information about patents and copyrights is provided in this article.
Getting a patent though the combination of multiple existing or patented products is not only quite possible — but it happens all of the time. Here are the details you need to know.
The following is essential advice on how to write a patent application: The hardest part of the entire patent process is coming up with an invention that is patentable. Once the “ah-ha” spark of an invention idea hits you, see if it passes the two critical hurdles of patentability at this post: http://patent-your-inventions.com/?p=35 If [...]
A question I hear often is: Is it possible to patent an idea? Unfortunately, the answer is no. You cannot simply patent an idea. An invention has to eventually (in patent lingo) be “reduced to practice”. That is, the invention has to be physically made and produce the intended function.
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No matter what you read or hear, there’s no such thing as a Poor Man’s Patent. Writing a letter to yourself, and sending it by regular, registered, or certified mail, does not help you acquire rights to your invention. Think about it: Someone with less than genuine integrity could send an un-sealed, empty envelope to [...]
The following is a fine glossary of patent terms prepared by Utah State University. Kudos for the exceptional compilation! Abstract of the Invention – That portion of a patent application that briefly indexes the disclosure of the invention. Anticipation – Prior conception and reduction to practice of the same invention by another. Assignment – A [...]
The “US Patent Office” is a popular layperson’s shorthand for the US Patent and Trademark Office — or more commonly known to us inventors as the USPTO.
Patent Pending simply means that a patent application has been filed with the U.S. Patent Office (USPTO), but a patent has not yet been issued on the invention. The patent application is literally “pending”.
Once you file a patent application, and it is thus “patent pending”, there are very few reasons to keep the invention secret. In fact, most patent attorneys would recommend that you can start marketing the invention with full vigor at that point.
The moment you file your patent application, you can (and should) switch gears and start marketing it. Here’s why: No matter how fast someone else tries to whip up a patent application and file it with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, he or she is going to receive a later filing date. And, secondly, [...]
One of my biggest challenges with this Web site has been how to easily communicate how to write patent claims — what many inventors consider to be the “heart” of any patent application. Over the last couple of months I’ve tried a variety of drafts on the topic, but I haven’t been satisfied with the [...]
You’ve invented the next best thing since sliced bread. That’s good. But you’ve been chatting about your invention in the lunchroom with your co-workers for months. That’s bad. What many inventors don’t know is that you have ONE YEAR from your public disclosure to file for a patent on your invention. Once you mention it [...]
I’ve had a number of questions from people in this forum and from colleagues about Provisional Patent Applications (PPAs). Many people, unfortunately, see PPAs as a quick path to a patent — and are not aware of the pitfalls. So I thought I’d take a moment here to describe two significant disadvantages of a Provisional [...]
A question I get all of the time is: “Is my idea patentable?” And I answer it the same way, every time. In the eyes of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), there are two critical thresholds your idea must surpass: your invention must be both novel and it must be unobvious. (1) In [...]
So you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and file for a patent application yourself. Congratulations! You’ve made it over the first hurdle of becoming an inventor: Taking action on your idea. The next thing is you’ll need is a feel for the structure of a patent application. For the sake of this posting, we’ll [...]
In a previous post I mentioned one of my favorite techniques for creating patent drawings — for free — using a simple technique with Photoshop and any digital camera. (If you’d like to see that post again, just click on: http://patent-your-inventions.com/?p=26 .) Another handy technique, also with Photoshop, is a quick way to darken the [...]
One of the questions I’m asked most frequently is “How much does a patent cost?” Well, that’s like asking “How much does a house cost?” or “How much does a car cost?”. Of course, it all depends on the house or car. The same is true regarding a patent. Will you be using a patent [...]
Free patent searches are just a click away. A US patent search is an early, prerequisite step in the process of filing a patent application. The primary intent of a patent search is to find out if anyone has previously invented your idea. However, especially for a new inventor, the costs for hiring a patent [...]
I can’t draw to save my life. However, patent applications require very detailed drawings of submitted inventions. And hiring an artist or draftsperson to do the patent drawings can costs hundreds (or, for complex inventions) thousands of dollars. For many inventors, that’s an immediate budget killer. My goal was to find a way to do [...]
Did you know that there are three primary types of patents? They are: utility patents, design patents, and plant patents. Utility patents are the ones most commonly sought, and what most people are referring to when they say they have “patented” their invention. Utility patents cover things that function in some way to create a [...]
A common question is how long do patents last? In the U.S., utility patents and plant patents are valid for 20 years after their filing date. (This slightly longer change in duration came about in June 1995. Utility patents filed before that date are valid for 17 years from their issue date.) As for the [...]
If you’ve ever wanted to kick yourself after you’ve come up with a neat idea or invention — but then saw it on the store shelves or TV a few years later — then this Web site is for you. Hi. I’m Eric Knight. You’ve probably seen me on TV. Maybe on the Late Show [...]
Probably the biggest mistake of a new inventor, that I see all the time, is not following through on his or her idea. He or she comes up with an innovative idea, many times related to his or her own industry or hobby. The person confidentially tells me about the invention. I encourage he or [...]
Step One: Document your idea ASAP, preferably in an “Inventor’s Notebook”. I like to recommend that inventors use a bound “composition notebook” that you can find at any office supply store. These bound notebooks typically have 100 sheets. Take a pen and number every page consecutively. Then use the notebook to jot down your ideas, [...]
