greyeyes

I've had this idea for an invention that I have had for quite a while and I really think it could be something that could catch on pretty well. I really want to get a patent for the idea, but I've checked out how to patent somthing and it's damn hard (I didn't quite understand it all after I saw it either) . I've also checked into that Invent-tech thing (as seen on TV) but they charge eight to ninehundred bucks per idea (somehting like that) and I really think that's a ripoff (I'm a college student dammit, I dont have that kind of money). This idea is kinda complicated and I would need high tech equipment that I know would never be available to me so I couldn't just go out on my own developing this idea and selling it myself. Might any of you guys know of any place that could help me out, or of anything that I could do? Any and all suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance!

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I'm kind of jealous of the life I'm supposedly leading.
- Zach Braff

Undercover_Man

ditto

GeePeeS'r

Hey, just tell me your idea, and I will see what I can do for you!

Seriously though, I looked into it once a few years ago, and the process didn't seem all that hard. There is a lot of paperwork to fill out, but if you really think it will sell, it is worth it. Have you contacted the US Patent office? They can send you paperwork. I think their website might even have a lot of info on it.

But stay away from those TV commercial patent deals. They will rip you off. You will end up either giving them the right to your idea, or they will get a majority of the profits from it. Remember, they usually have you fill out all the paperwork (description, plans, drawings, etc) and send it to THEM first. After that, your idea is out. Why take that chance?

There are "Patent Lawyers" that specialize in patents. I would reccomend to try to contact one of them before those TV infomercial deals. Good luck!

Undercover_Man

What's to keep them from stealing my idea or giving my idea away to someone else??? I have some great f'n ideas and don't want anyone to steal them...

mmm...kyle

tell you what, tell it to me, and I'll assess whether its worth your while...

on a slightly less idea stealing note, I'm sure with patent lawyers you could have them sign something saying they wouldnt screw you by just stealing the idea...

sadistikdreams

two words.

"patent pending"

Hehe, I've got a really cool idea too. I'd share it, but it's really impractical.

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"Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone.
The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials."
-Lin Yutang

hearts, by d.a.

spindles

Have you thought about approaching friends/family for financial backing to get the idea going? Especially to help you test create the thing? So many things look good on paper but end up being impractical for other reasons once it is built...

or else, looking into other methods to finance the creation of a prototype?

It is always easier to get others to invest in something if you can show your thing working...

In the end, you have to tell somebody or noone will be able to buy it

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Undercover_Man

I'll tell you one thing that I thought up 4-5 years ago...I pictured a cd/radio thing that you can "undock" from your car and take it wherever and put it in its cradle and it start playing again...now they make those things...damn

iamnormal

This site has alot of info on the subject.
http://www.tinaja.com/patnt01.asp

the420star

if you are really into the idea you might want to look into a patent lawyer. you have to first go through a patent search, another company you would most likly have to hire. They would look to make sure you patent dosnt infringe on anyone else's. Then you would have to go thought all the paperwork and such. Based on the high tech thing, i am assuming you have no high tech background and therefore can not develop the idea compleatly on your own. This would cause a large problem as first you would have to pay to have someone develop it for you, here comes the lawyer again to make sure they dont steal it while they do it. You could patent a more general thing. the problem is, i will tell you as an EE, if you have something related to my field, and you patent is too broad, i could steal your idea in about 5 minutes. so i would start by seeking a patent lawyer, and talking to him about how to best protect your idea and develop it.

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kazoo

Patents cost around $5K, from start to finish, based on what I've learned from doing it a few times. A good portion of that is paying your attorney to research "prior art" to determine if your widget is sufficiently different from existing widgets to warrant a patent. Drawings must be prepared, along with a detailed functional description.

The Patents R Us people are banking on the numbers, that being most stuff people bring in isn't sufficiently unique, or doesn't have enough market appeal. A true patent attorney should be able to give you a decent idea from a face-to-face meeting, but be prepared to pay a few hundred.

If you have a group of friends with $ and family with $ (people who won't beat your ass if you don't make them rich) you can consider forming an S corporation and issue stock to these investors in exchange for the $ they put in the hat. You get your widget patented, make a gazillion $, and S corp shareholders claim their percentage of the profit on their income tax returns with the attached schedule K. Likewise, if your widget loses money, everyone has a percentage of the loss to claim.

All of this said, some companies are big enough that they will roll the dice. They have the finances to steal your idea, patented or not, and get it to market, reap the profits and tell you to piss off because their attorneys are on staff anyway, and they can afford to litigate the ass off a brass monkey.

Good luck.

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rocinante2003

Years ago i made a little device that clipped to the side of a mouse. It was just clear plastic with a cross hair sight in it that stuck on with velcro. You could use it to trace cartoons etc. It wasnt very good and I think I was about 10 when i did it. Low and behold, a few years later I noticed a little device being sold in an Amiga magazine that was identical in concept. Sure, it wasnt a copy of my design, but it was lol.

MSD

I invented teh self-cooling soda/beer can 7 years ago. I drew plans, checked with my HS chem teacher to see if teh idea made sense, and planned to do something with it once I graduated high school. This year, I heard about some guy getting something like $100M for the idea. I kicked myself until my shins were blue.

Delirious

What I find amazing is the amount of patent nazis out there that put no work or effort into an idea and make millions through litigation.

visotech

Recently, a new type of self-cooling soda/beer can was proposed for widespread manufacturing by Joseph, a California-based company. It was originally designed to use HFC 134a to cool the contents, whether beer or soft drink. With this new type of can, the user activates the self-cooling properties of the can before drinking. Once activated, the contents are cooled in about 1.5 minutes to about 30 degrees F, without need of a refrigerator. Environmentalists pointed out that HFC 134a is an ozone depleter and a greenhouse gas that would contribute to global warming at a rate 1300 times greater than CO2. Additionally, some toxicological investigations linked HFC-134a to liver cancers. Consequently, the coolant gas was changed to CO2 and a partnership with BOC announced. It is not clear how big a market there would be for such a self-cooled can, but there are many billions of cans sold annually, and the greenhouse gas impacts could be substantial. Any environmental good news relates to the replacement of HFC 134a with CO2 as a thermal medium. ("BOC in chill can partnership", January 13, 1998, Chemical Business Newsbase, Asia Intelligence Wire, Business section) Concern over global warming has prompted the EPA to propose a ban on the refrigerants HFC-134a and HFC-152a in self-cooled beverage containers. The EPA contends that with a U.S. market share of 5% the nearly 5 billion cans sold annually would emit about 96 million metric tons of carbon equivalent, an amount 25% higher than all the carbon saved by the U.S. Climate Change Action Plan for the year 2000. ("Climate change: Feds propose ban on chill can chemicals", Business and Environment, 3/98, March 18, 1998, Greenwire, Worldview)

greyeyes

Well, I'm a poor college student, so I'm kinda disappointed that I will not be able to do anything for my idea anytime in the near future. The stockholder was a great idea but I definately do not have anyone who would be willing to help me out in that respect (especially my family they all ready think I'm a big mooch paying for school and all). Hopefully my Idea wont get stolen from that backass Invent-tech corp that I sent my idea to (my bad, though I think they are legally bound to not use my idea though all of that could be crap). Does anyone have an idea that doesent requre any or much money??

__________________
I'm kind of jealous of the life I'm supposedly leading.
- Zach Braff

bal8664

i've had a few ideas, soem which woudl require no mroe than 5 dollars to make a prototype, some which would cost a few hundred, but nothing otu of reach. Only probem is most of my ideas are more the kind of thing that wouldn't be useful, just sort of "fad" type things. And alot of my friends i told about them thought they were bad ideas, but you never know what might catch on.

WillyPete

For fads, you can count on the initial impact of the gadget to make you the money and then not worry about the patents. But you have to get in with HUGE volume to start with and some help from a distributor.
You make your fortune before anyone has made any copies. By then you don't care, and you use the profits to go for bigger and better.

Best if you have a working model and/ or design plans from a professional designer.

Remember: NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS!!!!
They are the cheaper version of a patent and are real easy to make.

If your gadget is deemed to be of appeal and cheap enough, a distributor may even pursue the patent for you. You can expect to make a deal on either royalties or a licensing agreement if the item has quite a long life-span.

Another way to protect your self is to patent not the whole device, but the part or process that is unique that allows it to function properly. That way you protect against spin-offs using the popularity of your device too.

crazymang

I had a great idea for a "U-Turn" signal. i dont want credit for it, I just wanna see the jackasses out there tell everyone when they plan to cut you off to do a u-turn

balderdash111

I would be surprised if there aren't some patent attorneys who charge a percentage of royalties off your idea once it gets patented, rather than charge you a fee for the patent work

or maybe charge a reduced fee in exchange for a small percentage?

is it too speculative to pay off?

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