Sto: My fellow inventors

From: Darwin

Re: Information and insight

I will begin my message by wishing you original thinkers the best of luck and good fortune as you push forward with your ideas. We are members of a curious bunch; we spend our time in the clouds engineering thought forms into things we can use, sell or give away. If something fails in our presence, we see it as an opportunity to have its shortcomings analyzed and accessed for improvements. It's our nature to seek out problems to solve; when we find ourselves in a slow-moving line, it's never quite long enough to finish designing a way to shorten the wait. We free our thoughts to wander through the aisles of life, looking for a better way and things to improve.

Before the Internet, I provided consulting services for other inventors. Most innovators were interested in making me a partner to develop their ideas for a share of the potential profits. I invent and design primarily for the fun and the lasting satisfaction of developing an idea into something useful. Money is an important goal, but as we all should know, the most valuable stuff in life is not for sale. I am delighted to learn about and cheer on the success of others, but I do not have the time or energy to take on any projects other than my own. I know how difficult it is to find the financial and technical support to launch a new product. Here are some hints that might help other inventors get the ball rolling.

At the beginning of my adventure,  I didn't have the finances to hire a patent attorney or afford a formal patent search. I travelled long distances to spend hours in the patent library in a strange city; today, we have the Internet, and those days are gone. I learned enough to file my first application, and to my surprise, I was successful and granted a patent. I only had to pay a patent drawing expert to ensure my drawings complied with the patent office requirements. I got lucky; it doesn't usually happen to individual inventors filing without an attorney. I strongly recommend hiring a patent attorney registered with the USPTO; the knowledge to write strong claims is essential to succeed long-term. If an idea is a winner and makes money, I can assure you other attorneys will examine your claims. Their goal is to find some weakness and a way around infringing on your intellectual property rights. Remember, if someone copies your idea, it will be up to you to afford the cost of proving infringement.

I think invention development and marketing firms sell worthless and expensive services to eager independent inventors; beware! If these companies are successful at what they say they can do, many endorsements from successful inventors are sure to be on file to support their claims. Inventors dream big, and sometimes, they are not awake enough to protect themselves from the hazards on the path to success.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office has a wealth of current information on how to take an idea forward; it's a system built to assist inventors and a free source of reliable, valuable information. Filing a Provisional Patent application may be a significant first step for the individual inventor; it's inexpensive to protect your idea for a year with a valid application date while securing financing and setting up shop. In addition, if you qualify as a micro-entity, the filing fee is a bargain. 

I know how inventors can get caught up in their inventions' excitement and potential. I also know how difficult it is to see the challenges of making an idea into a successful product when thoughts are about the possibility of financial freedom and a better future. The time and energy spent tearing apart and examining all aspects and angles of your idea is well spent. I know from experience if I ignore close inspection, the unseen problems I miss will surface. The goal is to make corrections and improvements before the time for easy adjustments and simple modifications has passed. Look for problems; look for simplicity in your design. 

Keep good progress records; this business is about dates and details. I will also suggest joining a local inventor's organization. These like-minded groups are an excellent way to establish valuable contacts and become involved with other experienced and knowledgeable inventors. In addition, universities can be a good source of support and information related to new product research and development.

Onward ho!

Darwin