Anyone ever file for their own patent?

[Robert Adams]

In this time of one pay check doesn't cut it anymore. I've come up with some interesting ideas over the years as I'm sure many on this board have and like many thousands before us, just went about doing what I do and never followed through with any of them. A couple years ago I finally put my money where my idea was and hired a patent attorney to do a search. Think that ran $5k. In total he was forecasting around $20k by the time I 'might' get my patent. Although my initial search came back positive, I just couldn't quite go and bet the farm on going through with the rest of it. My observation is one of the biggest issues to me was by the time you get through the process with an attorney you've pretty much spent a couple of valuable marketing years and any money you had to develop the product is gone and then some. There has to be a better way! I've searched the INTERNET and there is some info out there on doing some of the work DIY, but I'm more the creative type and not someone who normally has the staying power to read through endless searches. On the other hand, if that is what it takes, then I guess I'll hang in there and try it. Just wondering if there are any others out there that have done the patent process on their own (NON ATTORNEYS) with any success and wouldn't mine lending some guidance or suggestions; any would be gratefully received!
Thanks!

[Dantilla]

A friend did the first step, a provisional patent, on his own.

Then I convinced him that the idea had too much potential to trust an amature to properly protect it. It is now, with thousands of others, waiting for fiinal approval by the patent office, after being filed by a well-respected patent attorney.

Any patent attorney that assures you of getting an approval is a bad attorney. They may offer an opinion, but the actual approval rate is right around 50%.

[slodave]

Do a search. There are a few threads on this..

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by slodave

Do a search. There are a few threads on this..

Yes. Patents are way overrated unless you're a huge Swiss phama company.

Which would you rather have, a product with a patent that flopped, or a successful product that is vulnerable?

BTW, any product is vulnerable if it's successful. Anyone can make slight changes to your idea and come on to the market or steal the idea outright if they are financially strong enough.

There are ways to position yourself for the battle.

Read the archives here.

[id911T]

Originally Posted by milt

Yes. Patents are way overrated unless you're a huge Swiss phama company.

Which would you rather have, a product with a patent that flopped, or a successful product that is vulnerable?

BTW, any product is vulnerable if it's successful. Anyone can make slight changes to your idea and come on to the market or steal the idea outright if they are financially strong enough.

There are ways to position yourself for the battle.

Read the archives here.

So true. It takes a boatload of time and effort to get a patent and then ,as milt says, someone with financial backing can easily swipe it once you prove it's a successful product.

[BRPORSCHE]

Be careful. Patent attorneys are damn expensive.

[unclebilly]

What does this thread have to do with the Dearly Departed?

There was a thread a few weeks about regarding patents etc. Give that a read.

Bottom line: a patent is a license to sue. There are no patent police. If you get a patent and MegaBigGiant Corporation decided to infringe, do you have the MegaBigGiant bank account required to spend on lawyers for litigation with MegaBigGiant Corporations team of lawyers?

If you have a product, file a provisional (or not), show the idea to prospective suitors and take a percentage of the game or go forward as Milt suggests, register a TM and be first to market - think ebay, other me too online auction sites exist but everyone uses ebay becasue they were first.

At the end of the day is dependant on the product, the market, and how much time and money you have to develop and market the concept.

[cel]

I have several patents of my own and several more in combination with other people. As an example, I wrote "large corporation a letter of inquiry regarding a product I was developing and they wrote back and basically said they would not be interested unless I had a patent and if I did they would only pay $1000.00 and reserve the right of go out for competitive bids. This was about 1993. Things may be different now but I doubt it. If you have a product that would be profitable to a large company they will force you to go to court against them and drag it out until you are broke.

[Aurel]

There are patents, and then there are trade secrets for truly valuable stuff...a patent is only as good as the money you have to enforce it. Otherwise, you are just giving away your knowledge to the chinese...

[fireant911]

Originally Posted by Robert Adams

Just wondering if there are any others out there that have done the patent process on their own (NON ATTORNEYS) with any success and wouldn't mine lending some guidance or suggestions; any would be gratefully received!

Robert,
Every other year there is an inventor's conference held at Jacksonville State University (JSU News Wire). I attended this last year and loved it. Many speakers were there discussing a variety of topics. One of the speakers was a high-ranking official from the patent office. I remember posing a question to him about the value of the NoLo books in regards help and guidance of the patent process. His quickly poo-pooed this saying that it will get you no where. During the next break, I was approached by an older woman who told me the story of her daugther - she held several patents and had done this by herself using the NoLo book entitled 'Patent It yourself' (currently super cheap on Half.com). I then met the daughter, Mary Beth Boyette-Kirtley, and continued the discussion about her journey in obtaining her own patents. She gave me her card and web link

PatentQueen Enterprises LLC

Take a look and see if she can help you. I have several NoLo books in my library addressing the topics of copyrights, business entities, and patents - well worth the minimal investment! Your journey, regardless of moving forward by yourself or using a patent attorney, will be both difficult and exciting. Be bold and DO IT!

See, all of us in Alabama are not as backwards as it may seem.