Patents

[Ozzy Fudd]

does anyone know about patents, specifically how to protect an invention without getting a full patent on it?

 

i came up with something before christmas, the few people ive told have rated it from being good up to absobloodylutey fantastic; i think its good myself but when i looked into getting a full worldwide patent the costs were staggering - over £2k! while i think its a good idea i dont want to be spending that type of money on something that i might get told is pretty pointless or unnecessary.

 

so far ive got a few people to sign my original notes and date them, ive also taken copies of my notes, sealed them in envelopes, got my colleagues to sign the seals and then posted them to myself as proof of the date i came up with it; does anyone have any other ideas, or even know if this would be enough?

 

and no, you cheeky ***, im not telling you what it is, though it is something to do with guns, so far 3 ex military guys (inc 1 ex sas) and a couple of friends who i shoot with have given me a thumbs up on it

[shot shot]

babs, sorry to disapoint, but those beer hats have been around for years

[al4x]

will we be seeing you on Dragons den shortly?

[Ozzy Fudd]

probly not

 

but im thinking i might as well give it a shot (excuse the pun)

[davie mac]

babby are you giving out any free samples

[mark12345]

a patent is the only thing you can use, someone else can copy it and buy the patent, and you wont have a leg to stand on, the only way you can protect your idea and the intellectual property around it is to get the patent. speak to a patent solicitor and they will advise you the best way to proceed, it may be worth spending the £2k, after all its a small price to pay if your idea is as good as you say,

 

you can then always sell the patent or let one of the big players in the industry produce under licence and pay you loyaltys

 

if your not prepared to invest the £2k, then is the idea realy that good???

 

what ever you do make sure whoever you deal with, get them to sigh a none disclosure agreement (templates avalable on the web)

[Mungler]

Is there any other aspect that you can try and protect e.g. a design right - much easier to register etc.

 

The government webby at the IPO office is not bad at all.

 

The real problem with patents is that ideas cost nothing no matter how good they might be. The only thing that counts is actually doing it and making a success of it - this is why the patent offices books are full of really great ideas that never make it into the market place. People will speculatively register their patents and hope that some industrialist with deep pockets will come along and buy the intellectual property rights off them at a later date. It very rarely happens.

[Ozzy Fudd]

now whats a design right and how would it work?

 

as for paying the £2k and the design being worth it and all that, i think it is; but the problem is that this isnt something that i can start making myself and flogging online, if it was id have applied for the patent already and be floggint them instead of sitting in this office! no, its something that would probably have to be snapped up by one of the big manufacturers and implemented into their existing designs, which would be pretty simple to do. i dont know how well it would sell in the civilian market, some people would love it, others may think its an unnecessary gimmick; the police/military would be the main target group (the sas guy thought it would be invaluable on long range patrol's) but then again the ones who control the purse strings could turn around and say no its too dear, what you have already is sufficient

 

sorry i cant explain much more than this (i know i sound like the dr from back to the future here) - its not that i dont trust you guys, its just, well, yeah, i dont trust you guys!

[Duncan.heywood]

all sounds very interesting!! hope it all goes well, and lets hope for a good discount for PW members! lol

[Pushkin]

Babby, try this link -I think you will find it helpful

 

http://www.ipo.gov.uk/

 

Pushkin

[Boomstick]

http://www.ipo.gov.uk/types/patent/p-applying/p-cost.htm

 

'The normal amount we charge to process a UK patent application is GBP £200.'

 

 

Out by a factor of 10 mate! much more affordable than u thought!!!

[Boomstick]

Also read this

 

 

www.inpex.com/Newsletter/2006-08-01-exhibitor-world-patent.aspx

Edited April 6, 2009 by Boomstick

[cubix]

Tell us what it is, then we can steal.. I mean advise you better.

 

I bet it's a square football.

[MM]

i have a patent number from many years ago, cost me nowt. Ill see if i can find the paperwork. I designed an adapter for a babys bottle, that turns it from a bottle into a dummy

Think i was 15 at the time and my folks helped me with all the legal stuff.

[Ozzy Fudd]

http://www.ipo.gov.uk/types/patent/p-applying/p-cost.htm

 

'The normal amount we charge to process a UK patent application is GBP £200.'

 

 

Out by a factor of 10 mate! much more affordable than u thought!!!

 

na mate, thats the uk only patent, i was looking at the world wide one to stop the yanks nicking it

 

thanks for the links guys