Ideas give birth to inventions, but there is no shortcut for jumping from A to Z.
Give your idea the potential it deserves by coming up with a concrete plan to turn it into a product the world is excited about. An IP guided strategy will ensure the transformation of your idea into a patented product.
Here are five steps to kickstart your journey to creating a product with real world impact:
Document Your Invention Ideas
The first step to turning the idea in your head into a reality is to write everything down. Be sure to write everything down in detail, from the concept of your invention to its design and opportunity for commercialisation. The greater the depth of your descriptions the better, as these writings validate your rights to the invention idea itself. Furthermore, this establishes your invention idea as non-fictitious to the relevant patent office in your place of residence and thus, brings you one step closer to a successful patent application.
Conduct A Patent Search
A high volume of patent application rejections occur under the condition that a patent search was not conducted prior to submission. Why does this happen? It is common for inventors to immediately assume their ideas as unique and novel because they’ve never heard of it before. However, this is not always the case and it is best to conduct a patent search to verify that no one else has already patented your invention idea. Patent searches are important to avoid a lengthy and costly patent application process. More crucially, a patent search will also help you steer clear of potential patent infringement lawsuits from third parties.
Ensure Your Invention is Marketable
An invention could be worthy in itself without real world application. When it comes to profitability of the invention however, conducting market research will help determine the real world demand for your product. Ask yourself: are you willing to patent your invention without knowing if there is a pool of buyers in want of your product? Adding value to the lives of others via a brilliant invention is incredibly rewarding. Make sure there is a market for what you are offering by gaining insight into what your potential customers desire and are willing to splash their hard earned cash on.
Make A Prototype
A prototype is an operational model of your invention that turns written theory into fully functional practice. To make an immaculate prototype before filing a patent is crucial to ensure a flawless model without the need for further modification. Once patented, no more adjustments can be made to your invention or you shall lose your patent rights of the modified invention to a third party. There are three key steps to making a prototype:
- Sketch: Draw up a technical sketch of your invention idea.
- Mockup: Create a 3-D mockup of your invention.
- Make: Build a fully functioning model of your invention.
File A Patent For Your Invention
At this stage, you will be required to choose the type of patent that serves your invention best. This can either be a design patent (legal protection for idiosyncratic visual qualities of a manufactured item) or a utility patent (legal protection for a new process, product, manufacture or composition of matter).
The process of obtaining a patent for your invention does not need to be confusing nor laborious. Consult a professional patent attorney for a step by step guide to transforming your idea into a tangible reality.
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