Well, first of all you need to understand how the patent process works. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) administers patents to inventors who can prove there's a novel indisputable fact that who else did before. Even though many people state that there's really nothing new under the sun, in reality, last year there were over 400,000 U.S. patents filed. So, you can see that other inventors will be more than ready to keep solving the earth's issues with original ideas.
When you're just beginning the patent process, the first thing you should do is make certain you document your entire idea on paper. This consists of documenting every little aspect of the invention was created and how it'll work. The more details you record, the greater unique the idea becomes. The truth is, while there may be another creation that is comparable, it wouldn't be exactly like yours. Your invention has to be the only one of it's kind so that you can qualify for patent protection.
One more thing you need to do is to look for patents which can be already on record that may be similar or exactly like your idea. If somebody has recently thought it up and filed for the patent, you're at a complete loss. Let's pretend that you're looking at a thought for a really cool portable music player that can store digital music also it can also store a lot of photos along with other cool stuff. It's a very sleek design and includes detachable earplugs. Hmmm. That sounds a great deal as an iPod, and you are right. You can't file a patent for any ipod that appears and functions the same as what's already on the market.
However, in the event you created an mp3 player that can bounce being a ball and glows at nighttime, now that will be something you could patent as unique. Anyway, you need to do a thorough patent search to ensure your idea has never been claimed by somebody else. This can be done yourself, or pay a specialist to conduct the search for you.
When you have established that nobody has thought of your bouncing very good music player, you would like to spend some money on obtaining a prototype made. A prototype is a demo form of your product that permits you to see how it works in the real world. Until you find an investor, the cash with this must emerge from your own personal pocket.
Now it's time to visit the USPTO and file an application to get a provisional patent. This isn't the final patent, however a preliminary one that lets you keep working on marketing your invention while supplying you with full legal protection. For example, there is a company thinking about marketing the bouncing very good music player, but they want you to make a few tweaks. Make the tweaks then submit an application for the ultimate patent. You're then able to license it towards the highest bidder and make a nice income.