Category: miscellaneous

By Hugh Campbell  

If you're a budding Thomas Edison, then you will be well aware of the importance of knowing how to obtain a patent for the invention that will make you millions.

A patent will give you full property rights to your invention. Basically this means that you will have full control of the invention, excluding anyone else from using or marketing your designs. Clearly it is a crucial step that must be done correctly.

Patents are issued by Patents and Trademark Office and come in three categories:

1. Plant patent

For those who discover a new variety of plant.

2. Utility patent

In essence, the patent that gives you complete property rights to a machine, device or mechanical improvement.

3. Design patent

This patent covers your property rights for designs related to machines, devices or compositions.

You can obtain both a utility patent and a design patent to cover different aspects of the same invention.

The first step in knowing how to obtain a patent involves you choosing which category you feel best fits your invention, and then you must file a patent application. Be wary that such applications can be heavy on the red tape and, consequently, many budding inventors turn to specialist patent lawyers. This can be very expensive, so it is worth noting that there are packaged solutions available on the internet.

Also bear in mind that you will have to research existing patents to ensure your idea doesn't clash with one already existing. If you do so, you may very well end up losing a lot of unnecessary time and cash.

Now, it is important to understand that if you do obtain a patent, it is your responsibility to execute the rights that the patent grants you. Although your invention will be protected by the patent, there is no obvious watchdog to keep an eye out for copycats.

This article provides a very brief overview of the patent process and, as you may discover, it is a highly nuanced process. If you have the money, invest in a good attorney. If you just want to get an initial understanding, then go for an online solution.

Free Patent Searches

By Max Bellamy

One of the primary things to do when a commercially viable idea hits the brain is to search for a patent for the concept. A patent allows for the conversion of the concept into a business and prohibits others from infringing on the idea. Commonly, patent searches through patent search offices entail some footwork as well as money.

However, with the onslaught of the Internet, there are several free patent searches available. Free patent searches are powered by search engines, and contain databases that include all patents applied for over the past few years (within the patentable period, which generally implies 20 years in the US). Past inventions are carefully documented, with pictures and features wherever needed. As soon as a keyword is typed in the search bar, a search is triggered that displays similar concept patents that may have been given. It is important to type a relevant keyword, as this will affect the results of the search. It is advisable to try searching using different keywords.

Typically, free patent search websites contain all documented information on US patents (available from the USPTO) and European patents (Esp@cenet). However, there are many websites that contain patent information from other countries. Before punching in the keyword, the searcher has to click on the appropriate country tab.

The reason for the surfeit of free patent search sites is the huge workload that national patent offices face each year. National patent offices also provide their own free websites to search patents, in order to decrease their quantum of work. Most ideas that purport to be original get nipped in the bud when a similar concept is found.

The current trend is to first search for a patent on a free search engine. If no patent is found, a patent attorney is approached for the legal work. The attorney will also search for the patent on the free search engine before accepting the case.

www.freepatentsonline.com is a popular free patent search site that has a database of over 300000 US and UK patents. The site is constantly getting updated, as more and more patents are being awarded.