Most inventions and innovations are never patented because it is too expensive and time consuming to file a patent. There are many more ways of getting the idea patented. There is a need to document the invention in as much detail as possible and then get the application filed with the Patent Office. Patents help the inventor and the US economy by allowing new and useful products to be brought into the market. Without the invention of these new and useful products, many medical supplies and medical devices would not be available in this country.
There are many ways of obtaining protection for new ideas. One way that often gets overlooked is the invention of technology. Many organizations have been formed to help the inventor realize their invention. These groups often support the inventor and help them complete the legal paperwork needed to obtain patent protection for their new ideas. The invention team is usually small but extremely important.
Many organizations and individuals have been formed to support new invention ideas. One such group is the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). USPTO will often help the inventor determine if their invention meets the requirements to obtain patentable status. If USPTO determines that the new invention is eligible for patenting, the organization will prepare the necessary paperwork necessary to submit to the Patent Office.
One of the best ways of obtaining protection for new invention ideas is to develop a working model or prototype. This is especially important if the invention is a relatively new product or device. Often a prototype or demonstration model will prevent later patents from being granted. If the inventor does not build a working model of their invention, they may discover that their idea is not patentable. Building a working model can sometimes be the difference between getting a patent and losing your patent.
There are many ways to get involved in the protection of new invention ideas. Often inventors like to solicit the aid of professionals in the field of patents. These professionals can assist with patent analysis, search strategy and filing. There are also software programs available for collecting and organizing information on inventions. Software programs have been designed that make it easy for non-inventors to search patent databases and detect ideas.
While many inventions turn out to be complete busts, some are still worthy of filing a patent. In order to obtain protection for the new products or inventions, the inventors must first demonstrate to the USPTO and their attorneys that their invention is new and not obvious in view of what other similar ideas were previously produced. Once a product or technology is released into the market, a competitor might come up with a competing product that infringes on the patent. For this reason it is always wise to have a working model or prototype, so that an inventor can avoid wasting time and money and possibly being forced to register an insufficient number of patents.