Author Archive
Filing a Provisional Patent
For 99% of inventors, filing a provisional patent is a smart decision. But what exactly is a provisional patent? What separates it from a “real patent?” The short answer is: a few hundred dollars and a lot less paperwork. But there’s more to it than just that. A provisional patent is a way for you […]
How to Commercialize New Ideas
Hollywood and popular literature tend to glorify the selfless inventor who innovates out of benevolence for mankind, with no care for personal gain. However, without the ability to commercialize new ideas, many of the world’s most cherished inventions might not have come to pass. Silicon Valley venture capitalist Paul Graham concurs in his essay “How […]
Information You Should Know About Patents
There are many misconceptions about what a patent is and is not. Many believe that patents can “protect an idea” in the sense of preventing people from acting on a concept you thought of. Others believe that mailing yourself notes and drawings is a “poor man’s patent” that provides sufficient protection. In fact, patents are […]
Keep Going - Don’t Give Up
These words are easy to say, but not always so easy to do. Nowhere is this truer than in your fight to invent something new or grow a prevailing business. As you strive to bring your vision to life, you will face countless obstacles and barriers to success. These obstacles can take on many different […]
How to Patent New Ideas
In the understandable excitement and inspirational fire of creation, many inventors rush into the patent process without doing their homework. Unfortunately, their zeal to push forward often comes back to haunt them in the form of longer wait times, higher fees, and more work that could have been avoided with proper planning. The purpose of […]
New Technology Development Steps for Inventors
Developing new technology is, as Edison once said, “one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” It makes sense when you consider what technology really is: technique. It is, at root, a new way of doing something; presumably a way that never existed before someone painstakingly established it. Since developing new technology is hard work, it […]
Why Paranoid Inventors Fail
Every inventor knows that it’s a mistake to go around bragging about your idea to everyone who will listen. Careless mistakes should obviously be avoided. However, there is another kind of inventor who commits just the opposite mistake, and suffers the same failure. That mistake is paranoia. It is an irrational, unfounded fear of everyone […]
How to Get The Right People Behind Your Invention
All inventors have, at one time or another, pined for “the right people.” Be they investors, programmers, distributors, writers, architects, butchers, bakers, or candlestick makers, personnel is a crucial ingredient to the success of any invention. But getting the right people behind your invention is a road more easily mapped than traveled. In this article, […]
Purchasing Patents for Sale
Just as a growing number of people are starting to sell their patents, there is a rise in the number of people looking to buy them. However, it is wise to do some homework and number-crunching before spending big bucks to own a patent. It is also altogether imprudent to buy patents or ideas from […]
Getting Endorsements for Your Invention
When it comes to establishing your credibility and value, few things are more effective than endorsements. An endorsement puts a trusted and well-known figure behind your invention. It says to potential customers, in effect, “I wouldn’t stake my reputation on this invention unless it performed like its creator says it does.” This is an enormous […]
