Patent for an idea? what's involved how does it work?

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A210AMG

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Hello

I have an idea for a product either a new product or to improve and existing product already available by adding my idea to it...

How do you go about securing this idea? what does a patent mean?

Would I need to have a product made, or would plans / drawings be enough?

How do you know the patent is not already owned by someone?

Ok I know I could probably google the answers but hopefully someone has already done this and can tell me in plain english how it all works?


Thanks in advance.
 
Contact the patent office.

All you need is a description of the idea, pay a search fee and wait.

Be aware, once a patent is filed anyone can see it and large companies will copy it knowing you can't afford to fight them.

Often a better idea is just to bring the item to the marketplace quickly.
 
Hello

I have an idea for a product either a new product or to improve and existing product already available by adding my idea to it...

How do you go about securing this idea? what does a patent mean?

A patent means you have the intellectual property rights to the idea which prevents others from doing the same without your permission and paying a license fee

Would I need to have a product made, or would plans / drawings be enough?

No a description of the idea and drawings are enough to file a patent.

How do you know the patent is not already owned by someone?

You need to do a professional patent search to make sure someone has not patented it already or that there is no prior art.

Ok I know I could probably google the answers but hopefully someone has already done this and can tell me in plain english how it all works?


Thanks in advance.

I have several patents in my name in the Chemical Engineering sector and have just filed 2 more so am very familiar with the process. There are plenty of online guides and checklists but the patent search is the one area you really need to get correct to ensure there has never been a mention of your invention or similar.
 
^ is this easy enough to do the search?

thanks
 
^ is this easy enough to do the search?

thanks

You can do it yourself but it is better to get a professional search done as if at a later stage someone does challenge your patent you can demonstrate you took all necessary steps to investigate prior art and prior filings.

A lot of individual applications do the patent search via a university which runs a IP Attorney programme that way it is thorough and is cheap.
 
^ how do I find out about that who in a University (department) would be the area to speak to?

Thanks
 
I came up with an idea for an object a few years ago and wanted to research if anything else had been designed/thought of before I parted with hundreds of £'s for searchs and checks

I spent a day in the British Library in London searching patents and found what I needed to know.

It cost no money other than a trip to London and my time (this was some 20 years ago though)

Is the patent office still in the British Library or has it been modernised and relocated?
 
^ how do I find out about that who in a University (department) would be the area to speak to?

Thanks

Let me know where you are and I'll have a word with our IP lawyer who should be able to point you in the right direction.

British library is a great start but I think the patent office moved to Cardiff

More details HERE
 
if you pm me full details including any drawings i'll enquire for you ;)
 
As Dieselman says, unless you can afford to defend a patent against financially powerful predators......don't bother. You need a financially powerful ''partner'' or trusted sponsor.

Mic
 

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