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The Importance of Getting a Patent
by Edward Bryce
Published on this site: September 13th, 2006 - See
more articles from this month
Even if you don't invent things for a living, you might still have a great
idea. Chances are, if you actually pursued your invention you will have
found that you don't exactly have the resources necessary to produce it
yourself. Any plans you create will need to be shipped off to someone
else. How, though, can you protect your idea from being stolen?
- What a Patent Means
First of all, you should know that a patent is significantly different
from a copyright. All a a patent means it that you have the exclusive
rights to profit from a physical invention. Not all inventions are physical.
The most common use for patents is for pharmaceuticals and plastics.
Things like chemical formulas like drain-o have their own patent for
the formula, for example, but the name drain-o will be protected by
a copyright instead.
- Not Everything can be Patented
It might be impossible to get a patent if you show off your physical
product before you patent it. Furthermore, the more technology and expertice
is required to produce the product, the better. Inventions that seem
like a no-brainer are more difficult to get a patent for. For example,
silly putty.
- Banned Items
You can't apply for patents on many items - a scientific or mathematical
theory or method, a work of art (books, plays, etc. - computer programs
are included), a way of doing things (eg. a new business method). Many
of these things are, instead, covered by copyright.
- How to Apply for a Patent
You need to visit a patent office to get a patent. First, apply for
a patent for your country with the help of a lawyer under a strict non-disclosure
agreement. Depending on where you live this can be absurdly expensive
or quite cheap. Next, file for patents you might want for the rest of
the world. Yes, you have to file individually for every country in the
world. Alternatively, you can use the patent co-operation treaty that
allows you to apply once and eventually recieve protection in all 126
countries signed up to the treaty.
Edward Bryce: For more great patent related articles and resources
check out http://businessopportunityinsider.info
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