PART 1: INTRODUCTION

Where should you start if you come up with a great idea for a product and want to get it on the market? Research, of course and this is exactly what I did. I spent literally hundreds of hours online searching for information on the best way to go about this process. My research took me in all sorts of directions, good and bad and I eventually learned enough to write this book.

There are many books already available that target the inventor’s dream, so why am I adding to this list? Well, for one thing, most of these books waste a lot of time and pages on hype—getting the reader excited about profiting from an idea. I assume you are already excited if you are reading this. So where am I coming from? Experience. I want to help inventors save time, and maybe even money, by taking them through my journey. I knew very little about the invention process when I came up with an idea that I thought, and verified, was very much needed. My search for information led me in so many ways and eventually I wanted to know how much it would cost if I manufactured it on my own. I couldn’t find any information among the thousands of books and websites I checked that would help me arrive at an approximate, if not exact, dollar cost.

Licensing was another option I considered which led to research on that topic, too. All of this took a big chunk of my time and focus, and hence, my journey. The journey is not straight and I encounter pitfalls and roadblocks, but that after all, is what makes the book valuable. You can take a look at my steps and get an idea of whether or not your journey is worth it; whether it is too costly; whether it will succeed or whether you really want to go through with it. Trial and error are huge advantages on a learning curve. I invite you to follow along as I recount my story.

The book isn’t exceptionally long but it’s packed with links for getting your invention to market and helping you find your way. Some of the things you can learn about from the book: patents, the true cost of patents, searching for related inventions, scams, the manufacturing process, licensing, Open Innovation, the America Invents Act, and resource information for all of these topics plus it’s all in one place, in one book.

So here’s how I undertook this adventure.

PART 2: WHERE TO START

Coming up with an idea was easy. I saw a need and wanted to make the product available to others. I really didn’t have a burning desire to become an inventor; I solely wanted to make life easier for many busy families. I thought my product was very simple and would be easy to manufacture. Not so. The unit as I designed it was 12 inches wide by 9 inches long and 2 inches high and my material of choice was plastic. A tray design, really. So what could be so difficult about manufacturing this product? The obstacle as I learned later— protruding receptacles rising from the base. I spent months in front of the computer digging and prodding, following links that lead to more links and more knowledge trying to figure out how I could make this happen. I began to feel like I was becoming a pro on plastics manufacturing. One thing I know for sure, though, I could not have done this without access to the Internet. That was critical to my learning experience.

Also, I discovered early that I needed what is referred to an inventor’s log book to record all of my notes and ideas. Even with the new America Invents Act, which I’ll mention later, this notebook can help you keep track of  your thoughts and progress. It provides a chronological record of the invention and, if maintained properly, can be used to provide proof as to when an idea was conceived. There are a lot of books using the title “Inventors Notebook,” but what you need is a bound log book with numbered, blank pages and space at the bottom to record witnesses’ signatures and dates. By the way, you don’t need a notary to witness your pages, anyone, preferably not relatives, can sign your pages. I used a log book called the Inventor’s Laboratory Notebook which I purchased online from the Book Factory.

PART 3: PATENTS

The very first thing that comes to an inventor’s mind when coming up with a novel idea is Patent and I was no exception; however, I learned later that this may not be the best way to start.

A patent, according to the United States Patent and Trade Office is:

The right conferred by the patent grant is, in the language of the statute and of the grant itself, “the right to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling” the invention in the United States or “importing” the invention into the United States . What is granted is not the right to make, use, offer for sale, sell or import, but the right to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, selling or importing the invention. Once a patent is issued, the patentee must enforce the patent without aid of the USPTO

There are three types of patents

Utility patents may be granted to anyone who invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof.

Design patents may be granted to anyone who invents a new, original, and ornamental design for an article of manufacture.

Plant patents may be granted to anyone who invents or discovers and asexually reproduces any distinct and new variety of plants.

From the start, I had very little money to put into this process and needed to find the least costly way to get a patent. I discovered that the most comprehensive book for laymen on the subject is Patent It Yourself by David Pressman and published by Nolo Press. I live in Southern California with access to several excellent library systems, so I immediately went to my local library to check out a copy.

Learning Tip: Most medium to large-sized cities have the catalog of their collections online. In some cases, actual books have been digitized and you can download them to your computer. Libraries also have computers and the Internet available for public use.

Once I found out how valuable the book is, I ordered my own copy from Amazon so that I could use its forms and make notes in the margins. Be aware that Amazon and other online bookstores don’t always make it clear that you are buying the latest edition of a book. You can get this information by going directly to the publisher’s website for verification.

Patent It Yourself