Do you have a great innovative idea and do you think you can turn it into an invention? You may have spent a lot of money and effort to place your brilliant idea come true and all you get in the end is disappointment? What you thought was your unique and innovative patent, it comes out that it already exists! You didn’t do everything it needs to be done, you missed something, something huge.
The path from idea to patent is not easy at all. It is a path that requires a lot of perseverance, sacrifice and a lot of your precious time. At the very beginning, it is necessary to define what an invention or pattern is and whether what you have corresponds to the description. Precisely, so that all the energy and time spent would not be in vain, before you start with the whole story, be sure to do a little research to find out if your patent already exists. If it turns out that an invention like yours does not exist, congratulations, you’re now a successful person! Along with the monetary compensation you will receive, you are followed by legal intellectual property rights, which absolutely protect your patent. However, many are not so lucky because it turns out that a product like theirs or quite similar already exists on the market. To prevent this from happening to you, in the article below you could read about all the ways you can find out if your invention already exists.
1. Do a detailed research
To make sure your invention is unique, prepare for comprehensive research: from scientific journals, library visits, to a variety of Internet searches. What you decide on first depends on whether you are old fashion, so you prefer the smell of the library or you are a new-age guy looking for newer technologies. The simplest way to start this research and what you can do from your home at the same time is a classic search on the Internet. You can do this yourself, without undue experience. Searching patent databases is now easier than ever. Start with a simple search on Google Patents. Use of this browser is completely free, and offers you the opportunity to peek into 17 different offices that deal with patenting products and services. Take a look at the articles but the pictures as well which you would have a lot to offer. Take some of your time just for this. If you don’t have much time to waste try with InventHelp, they will be of great help in shortening your research time and giving you useful tips. What you need to have in the beginning is the search logic. As exhausting as it sounds, which it is with no doubt, dedicate yourself to this research. Arm yourself with patience and perseverance.
In addition to this research on Google search, what can give you fruitful results and additional certainty that your invention is unique (or not), is a search on the official website of the USPTO (U.S. Patent and Trademark Office). On this site you can have complete insights into all patents created from the ’70s and earlier. The number of patents is really impressive, so a review of all of them would really take you a huge amount of time. That is why here you also can search according to the search logic, i.e. according to the key characteristics of your patent.
There are a huge number of free databases of world inventions. If you are a little more persistent you can continue and improve this research on your own. If you are unsure of your research capabilities, seek the help of an IP expert.
2. What you need to pay special attention to during the research
You are looking for similar patents or you are looking for feedback that we have something completely new. However, for your search to make sense, it is necessary to first analyze your invention. Highlight key terms or associations to your invention. If your invention is, for example: an antibacterial basket for cats with micro ibers for hair retention, your search elements will be pets, basket, hair, combing, etc. However, in addition to the basic terms, you use advanced search and synonyms, such as cat basket, antibacterial basket, cat hair, cat combing and the like. Besides associations, think about why the product or service you want to patent is different and unique. This product uniqueness opens up new research guidelines to follow.
3. Expert help
If you are not sure that you did a good search yourself, or you just want an expert opinion right away, then contact the professionals. People who work professionally with inventors, researchers and legal representatives are patent agents. They can help you evaluate your discovery, assess whether there are similar products, and/or evaluate the possibilities of placing the invention. If your invention turns out to have real value, these professionals can also help you write the application you need to file to protect and patent your invention. Patent agents are gaining more and more popularity among inventors, but also companies that want to protect their products in time. They may not have graduated from law school, but they can also help you in collecting and arranging all the documentation for the protection of patents. In today’s world full of innovation and growing technology, trust, fast and secure information are invaluable. These people will be your right hand if you think you have something worth patenting.
4. Enjoy your glory
If you have gone through the above steps and it turns out that there is no similar invention to yours, congratulations! You have really succeeded and it is time to protect your rights and enjoy the glory. However, if that doesn’t happen, don’t despair, keep researching, change the concept of your product or service, give yourself time and try again. Statistics say that only 50% of patented inventions pass the final revision. The stakes in both time and money are not small, but the profits are fantastic, so if you have already discovered that you have a talent for innovation, work on it.
Patenting implies a completely new invention. Something the world hasn’t seen yet. Although new patents are constantly being created, there is no formula or recipe for how to come up with a new invention. The invention itself lies in the mind of the ingenious inventor and awaits the right moment. Its value is reflected in simplicity, practicality and uniqueness. The difference between an invention that can and cannot be patented is sometimes so small that we hardly notice it. That is why inventors must constantly be in the process of learning and researching the existing items. Even sometimes ingenious ideas can come by simply observing everyday things.