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Invention Newbie Need Help

design4webdesign4web subscriber Posts: 6
edited April 2009 in Developing Your Invention
Ok,
A little about me:
I am a young entrepreneur in the process of becoming an established registered trademarked web development company. In 2000 I developed an invention for a school contest which not only won first place out of over 300 competitors. However is now being produced and sold today through out the world and has been for over 5 years which is almost identical to my invention so I have the ideas to obvisouly develop needed inventions.
My new invention:
I will not let the cat out however need to know the steps for an invention to be safe from being stolen and to develop it. Are there places that provide grants for new inventions?
Thanks for your time!
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    terrycanterrycan subscriber Posts: 1
    Dear design4web
    It is always exciting to hear about young people and their inventions.
    Very often the invention is the easy part. Making money with it can be some very hard work.
    Are you ready to get started?
    I recommend reading "Profit from Your Idea" by Richard Stim.
    Knowledge is power.
    This book is a must have for anyone that is ready to protect, produce, and profit from their idea.   
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    patentandtrademarkpatentandtrademark subscriber Posts: 103
    By disclosing your invention to the public in 2000, patentability is probably dead.
     
    file a patent application before disclosing invention - or lose invention.
     
    You can not read a book and obtain a patent on your own - it`s too complicated.  Anybody that tells you different is either ignorant or malicious.
     
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    design4webdesign4web subscriber Posts: 6
    Thanks for the responses.
    I was 10 or 11 back with my first invention which now makes millions "too young to know about patents" lol.
    I come up with ideas I never knew about however are available all the time this one is a little different.
    I wanted to know if it is safe to write all the ideas of the invention and mail them to people I know which would have the post office date on the letter or if I should file for a patent? How much does a pattent cost these days, I have heard thousands?
    Thanksdesign4web4/17/2009 1:54 AM
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    terrycanterrycan subscriber Posts: 1
     Dear Design4web,
    Have your friends sign a mutual nondisclosure agreement before you show them your ideas.
    If they won`t sign walk away. You can still be friends. 
    Go to:            http://www.uspto.gov/go/fees/fee2004dec08.htm
    There you will see a break down of expenses.
    True a lawyer will charge you thousands for a patent. Be aware 98% of patents never make money for their owners.
    The more you know about the patent process the better the service you will get if you decide to use a lawyer.
    Protect Produce Profit
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    patentandtrademarkpatentandtrademark subscriber Posts: 103
    The post office date only means something if it is on an envelope mailed to USPTO with a patent application in the envelope.
     
    the fees at http://www.uspto.gov/go/fees/fee2004dec08.htm are amounts paid to USPTO only - and do not include attorney fees or fees to have drawings made.
     
     
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