Companies That May Want to License or Buy Your Invention!

One of the most difficult challenges faced by independent inventors and entrepreneurs is finding companies that want to license or buy the rights to their inventions or new product ideas.

Well, our Ultimate Inventor Resources includes a section Companies That Accept Product Submissions From Independent Inventors that lists such companies. Note that these are NOT invention marketing companies. Rather, they are real manufacturers with their own product lines that want to add new products and have indicated that they are willing to talk with inventors about adding their products.

But first, be sure to protect your invention by filing a provisional patent application so you have “patent pending” (i.e. a serial number and a filing date for your invention at the patent office). You can file a provisional patent application using our patent preparation service or using our Provisional Patent Application Filing Kit.

Additionally, you can use a Non-Disclosure/Non-Compete (ND/NC) Agreement (see your patent attorney or do a search online for a free one) if the particular company will sign one. This gives you immediate contractual protection if the company discloses or manufactures your invention or new product idea. Therefore, you do not need to wait until a patent would issue on your invention (a several year process and your idea might not be patentable) to stop the company from ripping off your invention or new product idea.

However, most larger companies have their own disclosure agreements and will not allow you to submit your invention or new product idea unless you sign it. These disclosure agreements usually state that your product disclosure to them is NOT confidential and that your only protection (if any) is that provided through the U.S. Patent Office (hence your previous filing of the provisional patent application).

The main reason that larger companies have such disclosure agreements is they are developing their own products in-house and do not want you to later claim that you disclosed a product to them that they were already developing on their own.

Note that while you can use a ND/NC agreement alone as contractual protection against having your invention stolen by a company, you do not have “patent pending” and thus this approach is more risky. Furthermore, if you do not have “patent pending” nor a signed ND/NC agreement before submitting your invention or new product idea, then you are setting yourself up to have it ripped off. Note that this is a general statement of advice and in no way is meant to reflect upon any partuicular company or individual.

Also be sure to do your homework first on any company you are thinking of approaching. Look at their product line(s) to be sure that your invention or new product idea is a good fit. What are their product submission requirements? Will they sign a ND/NC agreement?

Again, here is the link to our Ultimate Inventor Resources:
http://ping.fm/tYyPf

and to our “Companies That Accept Product Submissions From Independent Inventors”:
http://ping.fm/I5Aqq

Best regards,

Brian R. Rayve
Owner, InventionPatenting.com

P.S. Be sure to ask your patent attorney or read our other posts about the ramifications of a “public disclosure” by not using a ND/NC agreement when disclosing your invention or new product idea to companies or other persons (even if you have “patent pending”).

From: http://ping.fm/uo5D2

Companies That May Want to License or Buy Your Invention! http://ping.fm/OKLUJ

Companies That May Want to License or Buy Your Invention! http://ping.fm/0rvcK

Should Independent Inventors File Their Own Provisional Patent Applications?

I recently posted information about the new Provisional Patent Application Filing Kit 2010 in several social networking groups that are predominated by patent attorneys on a popular social networking website.

Several negative comments were received about the post that revolved around the idea of “Why are you helping inventors to prepare their own patent applications… it is like doing your own landscaping, haircuts, or surgery!”.
Well, go figure… landscaping can be learned easily enough when you do not have the money to pay a landscaper! The same with cutting hair. I would draw the line at do-it-yourself surgery, though!

They continue… “Inventors will end up with a provisional patent application that is non-enabling (i.e. missing critical information about their invention) or missing some other legal technicality and they will not be able to use the application as a basis for filing a utility patent application” (which can issue as a patent filed within the one year ‘patent pending’ time period affored by the provisional patent application).

My response to them and to you is this… they are absolutely right. Obviously, a professionally prepared provisional patent application is best… if the inventor can afford the cost. An experienced patent attorney (at least 2-3 years of training under a veteran patent attorney… not self-taught) knows how to describe inventions in detail and have drawings or sketches prepared that show all critical aspects of the invention including the various versions or embodiments thereof.

However, many independent inventors cannot afford the $1,500.00 to $3,500.00 fee that patent attorneys charge to prepare a provisional patent application (note that we charge considerably less – only $477.00 to professionally prepare a provisional patent application for you including sketches or drawings). Many of these inventors still file provisional patent applications themselves… oftentimes resulting in an insufficient disclosure or other legal technicality not being complied with.

Well, the Provisional Patent Application Filing Kit 2010 is designed to give such inventors a reasonable shot at filing a good patent application themselves… at a reasonable cost. I feel that giving independent inventors the right information in an easy-to-read-and-follow format with all of the forms is better than them “winging it” as many independent inventors do.

I hope this clarifies the purpose of the Provisional Patent Application Filing Kit 2010 and who should purchase it.

Best regards,

Brian R. Rayve
Owner, InventionPatenting.com

From: http://ping.fm/ySede

Should Independent Inventors File Their Own Provisional Patent Applications? http://ping.fm/s2kWf

Should Independent Inventors File Their Own Provisional Patent Applications? http://ping.fm/GJFGM

Provisional Patent Application Filing Kit 2010

The new Provisional Patent Application Filing Kit 2010 provides inventors with complete instructions and forms to lock in patent pending for their inventions at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Includes instructions for filing electronically and by mail.

Click on:

http://www.inventionpatenting.com/ipblog2/provisional-patent-application-filing-kit-2010/

Provisional Patent Application Filing Kit 2010

I have talked to many independent inventors who want to get “patent pending” for their inventions at a reasonable cost but have no idea where to go or how to do so.

While preparing and filing your own provisional patent application is not “rocket science” and is within the skills that most people possess, there are a number of things that you need to know to do it right. Why not do it right by getting the information you need… at a rather nominal cost?
Well, the new Provisional Patent Application Filing Kit 2010 provides you with complete instructions and forms to lock in “patent pending” for your invention at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office! Includes instructions for filing electronically and by mail.

Plus, if you order now, you receive two bonus products: “Doing Your Own Professional-Quality Patent Search… NOW!” and “Getting Your Products into the Big Box Retailers… NOW!”.

These are excellent companions to the Provisional Patent Application Filing Kit that respectively show you how to determine whether or not to try to patent your new product idea and how to get your products into the big retailers like Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and more.

I urge you to check it out at:

http://ping.fm/o0phY

Best regards,

Brian R. Rayve
Owner, InventionPatenting.com

From: http://ping.fm/Ff6kY

Provisional Patent Application Filing Kit 2010 http://ping.fm/AfduO

Provisional Patent Application Filing Kit 2010 http://ping.fm/yviHy