I have an idea and need to patent it so what do I need to do?
I have no idea what the steps are to patent an idea but I have one (an idea) and want to patent it! Could you please guide me the right direction? By the way, how much should this process cost me?
Answers:
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office would be a good place to start.
You cannot patent an idea.
depending upon what the idea is, simply copyrighting it and time stamping it may be sufficient to protect you.
You have to write up specs. Make working drawings. Make a model that works. Then you have to hire a patent attorney to do a search to see if a patent already exists. I will cost maybe two thousand dollars just to have a search done.
You can google "betamax" and that should be enough stop you from the patent idea.
You might want to decide if it's worth all the time and money you'll expend in getting a patent. I've looked into getting a patent before and it's alot of work. You've gotta pay to have someone do a search to make sure your idea is unique and hasn't been patented already etc...
Patent only gives you a monopoly on your invention or whatever for so many years as well.
You can't patent an idea. You have to turn it into something before you can protect it.
Depending on what the idea is, you could put your information in an envelope, and self address it. Then send it to yourself. Do not open the envelope. This will prove that you had the idea at that time. This works best for songs, literature etc. Its alot cheaper! Also, find out where the patent office is, here in Michigan it is in a Detroit library, and you can do your own research there. You do not have to pay an attorney. It is time consuming and it is alot of work though. The people there will be able to tell you what you need to do and how to do it. They even provide you with computers for looking it up. Good Luck!
Call 253 529 3300, but just so you know its 10's of thousands of dollars. that # is in Washington
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