| |
|
|
Self-Serve Patents
by Patricia Miller
Published on this site: December 6th, 2006 - See
more articles from this month
Do it yourself patents can be a great alternative for those who
cannot afford to dish out thousands of dollars for a patent
lawyer. Filing your own patents can be done but there are some
challenges. While not impossible, the biggest drawback on doing
it yourself is that you don't have the luxury of professional advice.
The advantages to filing your own patents are hard to overlook.
As previously mentioned it certainly can save you money. Also,
by doing it yourself you can learn several valuable skills,
particularly research. The central step in preparing to file a
patent is to make sure that your invention is actually
patentable, meaning it both qualifies to be patented and has
not been previously patented. You will also need to describe
all aspects of your invention in order to file your own patent.
Some steps in the process are easy; others are more difficult.
As with all new endeavors, you will most likely succeed by
trial and error.
However, by taking it one step at a time and
studying the process as much as possible, you can reduce or
possibly even eliminate the errors before they occur.
The following are the basic steps on filing your own patent:
- Keep a careful record of your invention.
It is important to
keep a record of the invention process in a notebook or similar
format. Sign and date each entry and have two reliable witnesses
sign as well.
- Make sure your invention qualifies for patent protection.
You
will need to show that your invention is new (not previously patented),
non-obvious and useful.
- Assess the commercial
potential of your invention.
Before
you spend the time and money to file a patent application, you
need to research the market you hope to enter to make sure it
will be profitable to file the patent in the long run.
- Do a thorough
patent search. To make sure your invention is
new, you need to search all the earlier developments in your
field. This involves searching U.S. and international patents,
as well as other publications like scientific and technical
journals, to find related inventions.
- Prepare and file an application
with the USPTO (United
States Patent and Trademark Office). This step allows you to
have a choice when filing with the USPTO: you can file a
full-blown regular patent application (RPA) or you can file a
provisional patent application (PPA) on the invention. Filing a
PPA allows you to claim patent pending status for the invention
but involves only a small fraction of the work and cost of a
regular patent application. All that is required to file a PPA
is a fee of $80 ($160 for large companies), a detailed
description of the invention, telling how to make and use it,
and an informal drawing.
Patricia Miller - writes for several web
magazines, including http://mygud.com and
http://products-center.com
|
|
