Inventing

nyjetsro71 · 04-15-2008, 09:50 AM

I had a few ideas for some products but am not really sure where to begin.

According to the 4-Hour Work Week, Inventright.com is a good start. You pay them $400 and they will send you a package detailing how to obtain patents, market the idea, turn the idea into cash, etc.

Has anyone tried any other alternatives? Does anyone have any advice?

Thanks in advance.

mcnerd · 04-16-2008, 11:45 AM

I would be hesitant going with any organization that demanded money up front. The first thing that needs to be done is a "patent search" to make sure your idea has not already been thought of. You can do it yourself but there are organizations that will do the preliminary search for you. If you successfully get past this point you will probably need the expertise of a patent attorney.

I search for information on the internet to learn as much as possible, which will help you avoid the money traps.

kav122 · 04-17-2008, 10:41 AM

Don't know all the details, but a story my mom told me is that my grandfather's brother was an inventor. He invented reflective tape and glow-in-the-dark stuff. He brought all the information to 3M, gave a big presentation and told them how he did it. The told him that they would buy it, but that he would need to get a patent first. He applied for his patent (not a speedy process from what I hear) and in the meantime, 3M, armed with all of the how-to information, got the patent quicker and made the product without him. He killed himself because of it.

Moral of the story: Like McNerd said, "get a lawyer" and don't trust anyone! I wouldn't trust those "register your inventions with us" companies as far as I could throw them.

Julie Rains · 04-19-2008, 05:53 PM

I agree with getting a lawyer who specializes in patent law and doing a patent search, though the explanations at the USPTO sound very technical to me. You can search here: http://www.uspto.gov/. Google also has a patent search function: http://www.google.com/patents?hl=en though I haven't used it yet.

Also, think about what you really want to do. Do you want to get a patent, do you want to make money from the product idea (either as a stand-alone idea or as a launch to a new business), or do you want to earn royalties from your intellectual property? If you want to launch a business or sell one product, you might just find an investor who will fund your idea. If there are multiple applications for the invention (say teflon or lightweight metal), then you might want to go for the patent and then work to help companies find applications that will commercialize your invention.

There may be some local or state resources you can tap into that will help you ways of protecting and also commercializing your intellectual property. Some universities have entire departments dedicated to commercialization (also called technology transfer) though they may focus on introducing their own inventor's ideas into the marketplace.

Hope this helps some.

nyjetsro71 · 04-22-2008, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julie Rains

I agree with getting a lawyer who specializes in patent law and doing a patent search, though the explanations at the USPTO sound very technical to me. You can search here: http://www.uspto.gov/. Google also has a patent search function: http://www.google.com/patents?hl=en though I haven't used it yet.

Also, think about what you really want to do. Do you want to get a patent, do you want to make money from the product idea (either as a stand-alone idea or as a launch to a new business), or do you want to earn royalties from your intellectual property? If you want to launch a business or sell one product, you might just find an investor who will fund your idea. If there are multiple applications for the invention (say teflon or lightweight metal), then you might want to go for the patent and then work to help companies find applications that will commercialize your invention.

There may be some local or state resources you can tap into that will help you ways of protecting and also commercializing your intellectual property. Some universities have entire departments dedicated to commercialization (also called technology transfer) though they may focus on introducing their own inventor's ideas into the marketplace.

Hope this helps some.

My adviser says that my idea is too simple to patent. He recommends I check out some engineers to see how cheap they can make me a prototype.

Thanks for all the feedback guys. Any advice is appreciated.

starshard0 · 04-22-2008, 03:11 PM

Getting a patent is obviously a smart idea, but one would of course require an idea first.

kav122 · 04-23-2008, 07:21 AM

tell us what it is and we will tell you where to get the prototype

Haha, just kidding, of course, but I am interested now in hearing what you have up your sleeve!

When you have it all secure!

starshard0 · 04-23-2008, 11:28 AM

It's strange to think of how many things have been invented and patented, and how it's at all possible that there are still things out there that haven't been.

04-15-2008, 09:50 AM	#1
nyjetsro71 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (10)	Inventing I had a few ideas for some products but am not really sure where to begin. According to the 4-Hour Work Week, Inventright.com is a good start. You pay them $400 and they will send you a package detailing how to obtain patents, market the idea, turn the idea into cash, etc. Has anyone tried any other alternatives? Does anyone have any advice? Thanks in advance.

04-19-2008, 05:53 PM	#4
Julie Rains Wise Bread Blogger Join Date: May 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 399 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (189)	I agree with getting a lawyer who specializes in patent law and doing a patent search, though the explanations at the USPTO sound very technical to me. You can search here: http://www.uspto.gov/. Google also has a patent search function: http://www.google.com/patents?hl=en though I haven't used it yet. Also, think about what you really want to do. Do you want to get a patent, do you want to make money from the product idea (either as a stand-alone idea or as a launch to a new business), or do you want to earn royalties from your intellectual property? If you want to launch a business or sell one product, you might just find an investor who will fund your idea. If there are multiple applications for the invention (say teflon or lightweight metal), then you might want to go for the patent and then work to help companies find applications that will commercialize your invention. There may be some local or state resources you can tap into that will help you ways of protecting and also commercializing your intellectual property. Some universities have entire departments dedicated to commercialization (also called technology transfer) though they may focus on introducing their own inventor's ideas into the marketplace. Hope this helps some. __________________ Wise Bread and Parenting Squad blogger

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04-16-2008, 11:45 AM	#2
mcnerd Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Southern California Posts: 83 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (17)	I would be hesitant going with any organization that demanded money up front. The first thing that needs to be done is a "patent search" to make sure your idea has not already been thought of. You can do it yourself but there are organizations that will do the preliminary search for you. If you successfully get past this point you will probably need the expertise of a patent attorney. I search for information on the internet to learn as much as possible, which will help you avoid the money traps.

04-17-2008, 10:41 AM	#3
kav122 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 526 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (243)	Don't know all the details, but a story my mom told me is that my grandfather's brother was an inventor. He invented reflective tape and glow-in-the-dark stuff. He brought all the information to 3M, gave a big presentation and told them how he did it. The told him that they would buy it, but that he would need to get a patent first. He applied for his patent (not a speedy process from what I hear) and in the meantime, 3M, armed with all of the how-to information, got the patent quicker and made the product without him. He killed himself because of it. Moral of the story: Like McNerd said, "get a lawyer" and don't trust anyone! I wouldn't trust those "register your inventions with us" companies as far as I could throw them.

04-22-2008, 03:11 PM	#6
starshard0 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Monterey, CA Posts: 598 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (11)	Getting a patent is obviously a smart idea, but one would of course require an idea first.

04-23-2008, 07:21 AM	#7
kav122 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 526 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (243)	tell us what it is and we will tell you where to get the prototype Haha, just kidding, of course, but I am interested now in hearing what you have up your sleeve! When you have it all secure!

04-23-2008, 11:28 AM	#8
starshard0 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Monterey, CA Posts: 598 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (11)	It's strange to think of how many things have been invented and patented, and how it's at all possible that there are still things out there that haven't been.