How much does it cost to patent an idea? It depends. There are two ways you can patent an idea: Method 1: Write and file your own patent application (the cheapest way) – total cost about $1,000 for most inventors to get an issued patent (USPTO government fees only). A provisional type application is only […]
Prior art is any evidence that an invention is already known or in use before the effective filing date of a patent application. It can be in many forms including: printed information, admissions by a patent applicant, for sale offers and public use. Printed information may include patents and published patent applications (both of […]
What are invention promotion companies? Have you ever seen an advertisement on Youtube or heard one on the radio from a group that says they can bring your invention forward and help you make money from it? They usually show some great examples of inventions they have sold for millions of dollars. These are “invention […]
Patents do not give you permission to make or sell anything. In a legal sense they are a defensive tool only. My old boss used to joke and say “a patent is just a very expensive ticket to the courthouse” meaning you can use your patent to sue other people and stop them from copying […]
Watching late night TV I often see commercials for new products that use the term “Patent Pending” and wonder if people really know what this means. Patent pending simply means you have filed your patent application in the patent office and it is still “pending” or waiting for an official approval. It is not the […]
Almost every day I get a question from someone asking about protection with their provisional patent application (PPA). This is always tricky to answer because first we need to understand what is meant by the word “protection”. I usually try to break it down into two types of protection: Protection from people trying to copy […]