Interact With Fellow Inventors From Around the World on Our New Independent Inventors Forum!

I have wanted to set up a regular forum (rather than a blog) where independent inventors from all over the world can share their experiences patenting and marketing their inventions or new product ideas. Well, it is finally here.

The forum is multilingual on both the front end (viewing posts) and on the back end (your account to make posts) so you can talk with inventors from all over the world in their native languages!

To view posts on the front end in any of 42 languages, simply click on the drop-down menu at the top left corner of each web page of the forum. You can set the language on the back end when you register as a new user.

Inventors are pioneers… so be among the first to sign up and post to our Independent Inventors Forum.

Sign up for our Independent Inventors Forum by clicking here.

Best regards,

Brian R. Rayve
Owner, InventionPatenting.com

P.S. Be sure to let me know what discussion topics and categories you would like at: Forum@InventionPatenting.com.

From: http://ping.fm/GsWe5

Interact With Fellow Inventors From Around the World on Our New Independent Inventors Forum! (http://ping.fm/skl1l)

Supermen Diddy and Ashton Kutcher Take on Malaria With a Vengence (and Nets)!

Never before have so many millions of people been affected by a totally preventable disese known by so few people. The culprit is malaria, a micro-organism carried and spread by ordinary mosquitoes in warmer tropical and sub-tropical climates such as Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia.

The mosquitoes that carry malaria breed and lay their eggs in stagnant pools of water, rivers, and lakes. The eggs hatch into larvae that live in the water where they grow in size and mature. The larvae emerge from the water and mature into mosquitoes who mate to continue the life cycle. The female mesquitos carry the fertilized eggs and feed on blood to provide nourishment for the developing eggs. That is when the malaria organism is passed from the female mosquitoes to humans in the saliva of the mosquitoes.

The “high tech” solution to the massive malaria problem… mosquitoes nets (bed nets used to keep mesquitos away from people while sleeping… when the mesquitos are most active), bug repellents, and anti-malaria drugs (for those unfortunate people who contract the disease). No massive spending is needed to develop new drugs or medical procedures (though there are some ongoing efforts to stop the life cycle of the malaria organism)… just enough caring people to buy the mosquitoes nets, bug repellents, and anti-malaria drugs!

Longtime friends P Diddy and Ashton Kutcher have taken on the challenge of educating and motivating people around the world to eliminate malaria now. In fact, Malaria prevention was the theme at Diddy’s Annual White Party usually held on Labor Day in the Hamptons, but this year moved to Beverly Hills, California and held on July 4th. The Event was hosted by co-hosts Kutcher and Diddy.

White carpet celebrities dressed all in white to raise money for Malaria No More, a nonprofit, nongovernment organization that is working to end the malaria crisis in Africa included Demi Moore, Tila Tequila, JC Chasez, Tom Green, Marla Maples, Shanna Moakler, Tara Reid, Russell Brand, Mel B., Kim Porter, Rich Orodco, Julie Benz, Lady Victoria Hervey, Bayo Olorunto, Ashley Olsen, Charles-David Moss, Khloe Kardasian, Tyrese Gibson, Nick Cannon, Mariah Carey, Tara Reid, Chris Brown, Lindsay Lohan, Andy Samberg, Lil’ Kim, Lamar Odom, Teyana Taylor, and the reigning Miss USA Kristen Dalton.

The event raised some serious cash for “Malaria No More” (and Ashton donated $100,000 of his own money!).

How can you help? For more information, visit:

http://ping.fm/QEhz9

Donate to Malaria No More at:

http://ping.fm/8zplo

Sincerely,

Sebastian B. Macaw

From: http://ping.fm/fr2fT

Supermen Diddy and Ashton Kutcher Take on Malaria With a Vengence (and Nets)! (http://ping.fm/oWlUd)

Supermen Diddy and Ashton Kutcher Take on Malaria With a Vengence (and Nets)! (http://ping.fm/dsgDs)

Are You Discouraged About Your Making Money From Your Invention?

Lets face it… starting a new business is tough! I have been running InventionPatenting.com since 1999 to help independent inventors protect and make money from their new product ideas… all at a reasonable cost. Sounds like a simple and workable business concept right… especially when so many invention marketing companies have been taking undue advantage of new inventors for years?

Well, a new business does not “take off” on its own simply by setting up a web site (which I learned after setting it up in late 1999). It takes a lot of knowledge and hard work! Even now, having learned how to promote my web site, it is still often discouraging.

My point is that perseverance is key. If you have a new product idea that has not proven a marketing success, re-evaluate your product. Is it really as good as you think it is? Many inventors “fall in love” with their new product idea oblivious to the reality of the situation. Ask prospective customers to use and evaluate your product. Does their feedback match your thoughts about your product? If not, specifically find out why. Ask them whether they would purchase the product if they saw it on the store shelves. What price would they be willing to pay for it given its advantages (and probably some disadvantages – most things in life are a trade-off) over competitive products.

I hope this gives you some insight… and renewed inspiration. More to come!

From: http://ping.fm/8QnVy

Are You Discouraged About Your Making Money From Your Invention? (http://ping.fm/0zGOn)

Are You Discouraged About Your Making Money From Your Invention? (http://ping.fm/jbFXo)

Lost Inventor's Notebook and "Poor Man's Patents''... Oh My!

I recently received a question from an independent inventor like yourself who faced a seemingly serious situation and did not know to do about it.

She has been inventing for several years and kept an inventor’s notebook and “poor man’s patents” but misplaced them. In case you do not know what a poor man’s patent is… that is where the inventor puts a write-up and sketches (called a disclosure) of their invention in an envelope and mails it to herself. The still sealed envelope with postmark is retained by the inventor to supposedly provide some form of legal protection for the invention and inventor.

She is worried that her inventions will be stolen by someone finding the notebook or by any of several companies to which she recently sent disclosures of her inventions, she no longer having “proof” she had invented them. She wonders whether there is anything that she can do to protect herself as she counted on those inventions for her future livelihood.

My reply to her is that the poor man’s patent is an”urban legend” and is worthless in providing any protection for inventors an their inventions. Likewise, while her inventor’s notebook was a good reminder of the details of her various inventions, it provides no protection for her or her inventions since it was not notarized or witnessed.

Rather, inventors should keep an inventor’s notebook made from a permanently bound notebook, the kind in which you cannot add pages nor can you remove pages without it being apparent that a page was removed. The best notebooks are about 1/4 inch thick with 8-1/2 by 11 inch pages available at any of the big office supply stores such as Staples or Office Depot.

Make sketches, write a description, and permanently glue any photos you have taken of your invention(s) on the pages. Use a new page for the start of each new invention. Consecutively number the pages at the bottom and have the notebook notarized on the last page you have used. You can have it notarized at your local bank by a Notary Public, which is usually a free service.

You can use the remaining notebook pages to sketch and describe other inventions or improvements to the existing inventions you come up with. Have your notebook notarized on the new last page you have used every time you make a significant update to your notebook (i.e. when you add a new invention or a significant improvement to an existing invention).

Why you should you keep an inventor’s notebook? Well, lets be clear… it is NOT a patent application and your invention is NOT “patent pending”. Rather, an inventor’s notebook has a strictly limited use… as evidence of your date of conception of your invention(s), but ONLY in the United States of America (USA). That is because in the USA, you must be an inventor to get a valid patent and if there is a dispute as to who is the first inventor, the U.S. Patent Office admits proof of inventorship such as notarized inventor’s notebooks (but not your poor man’s patents).

Note also that you CANNOT “backdate” your inventor’s notebook to when you originally conceived your invention(s)… you only get the date of notarization as evidence of the date of conception of your invention(s).

Alternatively to notarization, you can have your inventor’s notebook signed and dated (witnessed) by TWO people, preferably people who have no monetary or other interest in your invention(s).

Best regards,

Brian R. Rayve
Owner, InventionPatenting.com

P.S. You can lock in “patent pending” at a reasonable price by filing a provisional patent application.

From: http://ping.fm/RPzgE

Lost Inventor's Notebook and "Poor Man's Patents''... Oh My! (http://ping.fm/RGFoL)

Lost Inventor's Notebook and "Poor Man's Patents''... Oh My! (http://ping.fm/vyAtk)

What Is Your "Invention Game Plan''?

I. Introduction

Most new inventors have no idea what to do with their idea… and rightly so! It is new territory that even experienced inventors and companies “wrestle with” to produce their desire outcome (e.g make maximum money, defend their current product line, preclude a product line from competitors).

First of all, think about your goal for your idea, then take into account the expertise you bring to the table (or have access to). For example, trying to start a manufacturing facility to produce products based on your idea might be within the realm of possibilities for a seasoned plant manager or manufacturing engineer, but not for the average person.

In fact, starting your first company is a full-time job in itself (e.g. federal and state paperwork, setting up corporation, locating a business location, having products designed) even when you have the requisite background. Here is a sampling of decisions you might make based on your goals or “endgame”.

II. What is your endgame (i.e. What are you trying to accomplish)?

1. Sell all of my rights in my idea to a big company and be done with it.

A. Best Choice:

Have a professional patent search done with written patentability opinion to determine: 1) whether a patent is likely to be issued on your idea; and 2) how broad the coverage of the patent that issues will likely be (ie. the likely value of your idea).

File a utility patent application and approach companies after you have received a first Office Action from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) so you can show the companies: 1) that a patent is likely to be issued on your idea; and 2) how broad the coverage of the patent that issues will likely be (ie. the likely value of your idea).

- Be sure to discuss the ramifications of “public disclosure” with a patent attorney and the proper use of a “confidentiality/non-compete (CNC) agreement before discussing your idea with any person or company.

B. Next Best Choice:

Have a professional patent search done for the purposes described above.

File a provisional patent application and approach companies with the patentability opinion in-hand so you can show the companies as described above.

- Be sure to follow up the provisional patent application with a utility patent application within one year that claims priority of the provisional patent application to retain its filing date.

- Be sure to discuss the ramifications of “public disclosure” and use of a CNC agreement with a patent attorney as described above.

C. Next Best Choice:

File a provisional patent application and approach companies blind not knowing what you have to sell.

- Be sure to follow up the provisional patent application with a utility patent application within one year that claims priority of the provisional patent application to retain its filing date.

- Be sure to discuss the ramifications of “public disclosure” and use of a CNC agreement with a patent attorney as described above.

D. Next Best Choice:

Approach companies blind not knowing what you have to sell.

- Be sure to discuss the ramifications of “public disclosure” and use of a CNC agreement with a patent attorney as described above.

2. License one or more companies to produce and sell products based on my idea and collect periodic payments (royalties) based on the number and value of the products sold (plus other negotiated lump sum and minimum royalty payments).

A. Best Choice:

Have a professional patent search done with written patentability opinion to determine: 1) whether a patent is likely to be issued on your idea; and 2) how broad the coverage of the patent that issues will likely be (ie. the likely value of your idea).

File a utility patent application and approach companies after you have received a Notice of Allowance stating that a patent will issue on your idea.

- Be sure to discuss the coverage of your patent your patent attorney. You should do this through the entire pendency of your patent application so you know whether it is worthwhile to continue the patenting process).

- Be sure to discuss your idea with a marketing or other specialist in the applicable industry to determine the value of your idea in the marketplace.

- Be sure to discuss the ramifications of “public disclosure” and use of a CNC agreement with a patent attorney as described above.

3. Produce (or have produced) and sell products myself based on my idea.

A. One Choice:

Note – the course you take is highly variable based on your business goals – discuss your particular circumstances with a patent attorney and the appropriate business professionals:

Have a professional patent search done with written patentability opinion to determine: 1) whether a patent is likely to be issued on your idea; and 2) how broad the coverage of the patent that issues will likely be (ie. the likely value of your idea).

File a utility patent application and do not make any substantial money investments until you received a first Office Action from the USPTO so you can evaluate: 1) whether a patent is likely to be issued on your idea; and 2) how broad the coverage of the patent that issues will likely be (ie. the likely value of your idea).

- Be sure to discuss the ramifications of “public disclosure” with a patent attorney and the proper use of a “confidentiality/non-compete (CNC) agreement before discussing your idea with any person or company.

B. Another Choice:

Have a professional patent search done for the purposes described above.

File a provisional patent application and be cautious in making any substantial money investments until you file a utility patent application and have received a first Office Action from the USPTO for the purposes described above. Prominently mark products based on your idea “Patent Pending” or “Patent Applied For”. This may discourage competitors from copying your product until you may obtain a patent in the future.

- Be sure to follow up the provisional patent application with a utility patent application within one year that claims priority of the provisional patent application to retain its filing date.

- Be sure to discuss the ramfications of “public disclosure” and use of a CNC agreement with a patent attorney as described above.

I hope this gives you some ideas on how to proceed with commercializing and making money from your invention.

From: http://ping.fm/DYFt1

What Is Your "Invention Game Plan''? (http://ping.fm/ytm5H)

What Is Your "Invention Game Plan''? (http://ping.fm/8qZCT)

Some of the Best Inventions Are Those Developed on the Job!

People come up with new ideas every day they think will revolutionize the world and make them tons of money. Most of these ideas are conceived by watching people do things during their everyday lives. While I do not want to discourage anybody from following their dreams pursuing such ideas, some of the best inventions I have seen were developed to help people do their everyday jobs.

For example, some years ago I had a client who developed a new type of wrench for doing a specific job when repairing automobiles. While his wrench had utility (was useful for doing something) and was new, the U.S. Patent Office (USPTO) could not be convinced that the wrench was a non-obvious improvement over the prior art wrenches. I had told him this was the likely result after doing a patent search, but he felt that it was worth a try (and the wrenches could be marked “Patent Pending” while the utility patent application I filed for him was actually pending before the USPTO).

Why are these ideas often better than those conceived by observation?

Well, firstly, you are intimately familiar with the problems you encounter on the job… be it a factory worker trying to lift and position sheet metal for stamping in a press, a new mother or father trying to dispose of those “nasty” dirty diapers while at least keeping some of her dignity, or even a child on his or her “job” trying to ride a skateboard down a stair rail.

Secondly, you have put a lot of thought into trying to make your job easier or safer. You face the challenge every day and must “deal with it”! You have a major stake in solving the problem. Lets face it, we all try to look out for number one. If we can save energy… why not do so. Furthermore, we obviously do not want to get hurt doing our job.

Finally, there are likely thousands… probably millions of people around the world who do the same job you do. This is a market ready to “gobble up” your new idea in a heart beat! THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM YOU JUST SOLVED! You get a patent on your idea where you want to control use of the idea and you are in the driver’s seat!

A word of caution. Be sure that if you work for a company or do “freelance” work for others that you have your local attorney check any employment contract you signed and brief you on any applicable state laws that apply. This is because state law or your employment or other contract you signed may dictate that your employer or freelance customer owns the idea (and any patent rights thereto) you developed on or relating to your job rather than you. Be safe and check it out!

Also, remember that there may be adverse consequences in obtaining a domestic (USA) and foreign patents if you decide to build and utilize your idea (or method) on the job. Before doing so, talk with an experienced patent attorney!

Want to see if your idea is patentable? Click on the link below:

http://ping.fm/Vj7U3

Want to lock-in patent pending for your invention or new product idea? Click on the link below:

http://ping.fm/bFKDZ

Best regards,

Brian R. Rayve

From: http://ping.fm/6PJMI

Some of the Best Inventions Are Those Developed on the Job! (http://ping.fm/eiIec)

Some of the Best Inventions Are Those Developed on the Job! (http://ping.fm/4mudT)

Some of the Best Inventions Are Those Developed on the Job! (http://ping.fm/KZpIb)

Should Independent Inventors Prepare and File Their Own Utility Patent Applications?

I received a question today from a newbie inventor. She has read a book about pro se (doing it yourself) preparing and filing a utility patent application and believes that possibly she can successfully prepare and file a utility patent application on the product she is developing.

From: http://ping.fm/ZjVm2

Should Independent Inventors Prepare and File Their Own Utility Patent Applications? (http://ping.fm/h9sOW)