Patent/Product information wanted - I could use your help Delphi or G.M. Employees!!

[Elgin Clock]

Well in a stroke of brilliance the other day I came up with an idea for a product that would be used (exclusively?) in the automotive industry.

Before I even go about jumping the gun and looking into how to file a patent, I need to know if a product like this even exists, cause if it does, then a patent application is pointless.

This is where the help is needed. Is there any particular place I can do some research if a product like my idea (or something similar) exists.

Also, anyone who has gone through the patent process please share your stories, no matter how long or short they are, and no matter what the product was.

Thanks. And to all those who offer help, they will get the first chance to recieve my product if I ever develop it.

[miketwalker]

Try these:
http://patents.cos.com/
http://www.delphion.com/simple

Hope that helps. Good luck with whatever you're doing!!!

(Wonders if it has to do with something involving the big Dew bottle's revival?)

[Elgin Clock]

Originally Posted by miketwalker

(Wonders if it has to do with something involving the big Dew bottle's revival?)

Darn it.. you got me.

It's a supersized cup holder for the large dew bottle.

Oh well, now the secret's out I may as well just throw away my ideas on that design..








I'm just kidding by the way
It has only a miniscule detail that is shared with the big dew bottle.

[JohnBoucher]

The Patent Office http://www.uspto.gov/ has many tools for searching patents. You can look for pending, current and expired patents.

That said...... You can file yourself, but at work we always work through a patent attorney. It is a long, involved process.

[Joe Johnson]

Originally Posted by JohnBoucher

The Patent Office http://www.uspto.gov/ has many tools for searching patents. You can look for pending, current and expired patents.

That said...... You can file yourself, but at work we always work through a patent attorney. It is a long, involved process.

I second the recommendation for the US Patent Office site. It is a good place to start a search. However, if you are from a largish company (Delphi), you may get a warning from your internet portal folks because I think that the USPTO doesn't want the big companies using the site to do automated searches -- there are fees involved with doing many searches, but John Q Public gets access for free.

Joe J.

[Greg Needel]

I have been looking into/ working on patenting things for a while and this is what I recommend

1) Use the patent office website search feature; try searching with tons of different terms and key words (this is just to give you a general idea if something like this exists)

2) go talk to a patent attorney (most will give you a free meeting) there is the perfect time to ask about time, how much it will cost, what their fee is, etc From this meeting you can also judge based on the reaction of the attorney if he thinks it is a good idea (it isn’t a requirement but if you have a proto type bring it with you to the meeting and make sure that the attorney signs a non-disclosure agreement before you show him/ say any specifics

3)if you decide to proceed, ask the lawyer to do a patent search for you (there is an independent fee for this) in return you will get all the patents in written form that are anywhere close to your idea.

4) decide if you want to proceed if yes then fill out the paper work and start along your way.


A standard patent can cost also so it is worth the initial investment to see if it is worth it. Also when you go to "patent pending" status it is just as if you have the patent so you can start looking for investors.

Also for cost check your school, I know RIT has a patent program where they will pay for the whole patent process in exchange for half ownership of the product.

I hope this helps, if you have any other questions feel free to PM/IM me


Greg

[petek]

One Very Important thing you should do right away, if you haven't already:

Document your idea in words and drawings (if appropriate), sign and date it and get a witness to read, sign and date it. That way you can show when you came up with the concept. The US patent system begins with the premise of the first to document an idea (as opposed to first to file), so you want to have proof of when it was your idea in case someone else files for it too.

[Billfred]

Or, plan B...

Do all the documenting nonsense, stick it in an envelope, put a stamp on it, and mail it to yourself. Leave the envelope shut, and you've got a universally-recognized sign that you did this then--a United States postmark.

[Adam Y.]

Do all the documenting nonsense, stick it in an envelope, put a stamp on it, and mail it to yourself. Leave the envelope shut, and you've got a universally-recognized sign that you did this then--a United States postmark.

I read in one of my electronics magazines that this is absolutely useless as a patent alternative.

Document your idea in words and drawings (if appropriate), sign and date it and get a witness to read, sign and date it.

You might want to notarize the letter also.

[JohnBoucher]

http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/s...atents/toc.htm

From the Federal Citizen Information Center

[Joe Johnson]

One more bit of advice: Patenting is expensive business AND having a patent does not stop people from infringing.

What I mean is that a patent is really a license to sue. It does not automatically enforce itself. You have to convince the possible infringer that it is worth the bother to pay you rather than roll the dice in court. It is a very expensive game to play.

Having a patent is a plus on your side, but it is by no means a promise of a successful suit. Success in court depends on many things including the ability of your adversary to invalidate some or all of the claims in the patent (by showing that there is "prior art" for example or that the invention was obvious to anyone "skilled in the arts" -- the presumption is that the claims are valid, but that does not prevent this kind of an attack winning). It also depends on how skilled your patent attorney was when he/she wrote the patent application -- if you don't claim it, you don't get to suit to stop it from being infringed upon. It is not always a savings to write your own patent application or to use the cheapest firm you can find.

Anyway, bottom line is this: I am with Don Lancaster in that I wouldn't even think about patenting a million dollar idea. http://http://www.tinaja.com/patnt01.asp *

Joe J.

P.S. It is a very different thing for large companies, I have my name on 15 US Patents -- Delphi & GM have different considerations to consider...

*this is not the original source just a link from a quickie search on "Don Lancaster" &patent & "million dollar idea"

Don Lancaster is one of the guys in white hats by the way -- worth listening to. Has anyone tried to get him as a FIRST judge? That would be awesome!