Without patent protection for your idea or invention, there is very little you can do to prevent someone else from copying your idea or invention. Obtaining patent protection for your idea or invention allows you to monopolize the market for your idea or invention for 20 years. Applying for patent protection for an invention also gives you a valuable asset that can be licensed or sold to someone else for royalties, licensing fees or a lump sum payment. Without patent protection, there is little for you to negotiate the sale or license of your invention.
Keep Your Idea Or Invention Secret
Showing your idea or invention to another person or selling items or services related to the idea or invention can prevent you getting valid patent protection for the invention. It is extremely important that you keep the invention secret and not commercialize the invention before you speak to a patent attorney or a patent agency such as InventHelp.
Contact a Patent Attorney
Applying for patent protection is complicated and requires a carefully drafted patent specification based on current US and international patent law and practice. An incorrectly drafted patent specification or application can prevent valid and meaningful patent protection from being obtained. Engaging a registered patent agency, like Invent Help, or an attorney will ensure that the specification and application are drafted to give you the broadest patent protection for your invention.
Do Some Patent Searching
Before applying for patent protection for your invention, it’s a good idea to do some patent searching to see if your idea or invention is new. Professional patent searching can be very expensive and cheap patent searches can be unreliable. So first try searching some of the patent databases below for earlier dated patent documents. Use keywords that might be found in the title or body of the patent documents.