At Brainstorm Patents, we are inventors that are able to help you with your patent and prototyping work. We understand what it is like to have a great idea and be stuck in neutral, unable to make any progress. This page is devoted to providing you with some guidance and a few suggestions based on the collective experiences of the crew here at Brainstorm Patents. None of this information is official or proprietary,but simply valuable information for those travelling down the road to patent and prototyping success! Please, don't ever hesitate to call us with questions or concerns. We are always here to help the individual inventor.
SUGGESTIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND GUIDELINES (A LA CARTE...)
· Buy a cheap notebook and write ANYTHING and EVERYTHING down. Your mind works in mysterious ways, so jot down any idea you may have, and later on, revisiting it will spark a Eureka! moment. Writing everything down is better than forgetting half of your ideas (like Robin still does). Even if you don't have a moment of genius, maybe when you share your idea with someone else, they can feed off of your brilliance and the combined synergy may produce a perfect product. WRITE IT DOWN.
· Don't spend your money on a utility patent until you're sure there's a market for your idea . While it is definitely self-defeating, we here at Brainstorm Patents recommend that you spend your money on a patent search and a provisional patent. At that point, you've done your homework and have secured some legal protection for your idea. From there, spend your time and money on gauging marketability and commercial viability. You've got a year from the filing of the provisional to figure things out. If there appears to be a demand, then let's move forward with the utility patent. Again, something we wish someone would have suggested to us!
· Prototypes are VERY important. Everything works on paper. Somehow, though, when the transition is made from paper to the "real world" things tend to lose functionality. Let us help you get a functional prototype put together. It doesn't have to be pretty or expensive, but you definitely want to make sure your idea works before you invest a lot of time and money into it.
· You CAN file your own paperwork with the USPTO. You can file your own provisional patent application and your own utility patent application. Talk about a money saver!! Obviously, these applications are tough to complete, and vocabulary is extremely important, but if you're up for the challenge, any inventor can patent his or her own invention with no outside help. Then again, if you start and decide you need outside help, we're here to help.