How to Patent an Idea Before Taking It Public
It takes years of effort, countless sleepless nights, and hard work to reach that ‘Eureka’ moment– discovering new ideas.
When that happens, everyone wishes to inform the world by screaming at the top of their voice. Your excitement is understandable, but you need to contain it till the idea is patented, or someone else will copy it and enter the market with your invention.
Not only will you face competition, but your efforts and money will go to waste. Therefore, patenting your idea is the best way to safeguard your invention for up to 20 years.
Patenting an idea is a pretty lengthy and time-consuming process, and filing an application doesn’t guarantee success. Instead of wasting your time, contacting a good patent company (Canada) will be the best bet.
Today we’ll walk you through the right ways of patenting an idea before sharing it with the public.
How To Patent An Idea Before Taking It Public
1. Is Your Idea Eligible?
Nobody would want to go through the time-consuming patenting process only to find out that their idea already exists. To save yourself from disappointment, you must always confirm whether the idea is unique and eligible to be patented. Many patent agencies help people figure it out, so you might as well contact them.
2. Keep A Detailed Record
There’s a high possibility that someone else might be working on an idea similar to yours. For this reason, keeping a record is important to show the chronology of your work, which will prove that you didn’t copy. Journals, photographs, videos, and digital files with stamps are some ways to maintain a record.
3. Create A Model Or Prototype
Before filing an application, preparing a model or prototype of your idea will make it easy for you to convince investors to fund the invention. We suggest getting started by sketching a drawing, which shall also be used during the patent application process.
You’ll need to hire a professional patent agency to avail of drawing services because an amateur sketch won’t help.
4. File A Provisional Patent
Solo practitioners and startups must consider filing a patent application to protect their creations without spending a fortune. While you accumulate the financial resources and materials, a provisional patent safeguards your idea. Not just that, but it also protects the investor’s rights, thanks to patent infringement law.
5. File An International Patent
At some point or the other, you may be required to file an international patent, so be prepared for that. Navigating through the filing procedure is challenging, and hiring a dedicated patent firm will be your best bet. From designing patent applications to offering legal advice, patent agencies have experts who are ready to help you at every step.
Final Words
Whether an innovator or an inventor– patenting an idea before sharing it in the public domain is important. Even if you don’t patent it, file a provisional patent application to safeguard your ideas from being copied.
If the process of filing a patent application seems too overwhelming, hire a professional patent agency to ease your burden.
