How to Patent Your Ideas

If you have a great idea for a new product, or even a process, you can patent it to protect your idea from being stolen by individuals or businesses. When you start out with your  product design you may not want to patent the entire device or product, but rather a unique element in it. This is because many things have already been patented but if you are using them in a different way that is unique then you may be able to patent this particular usage.

Where Did Patents Come From?

Patent laws started in the city of Venice, Italy, after a declaration in 1474 that stated new inventions needed to be recorded by the state to stop them from being copied for a period of ten years.

There are some examples of other patents, which existed at earlier times throughout the world, in particular in England. There were also some historical precedents in ancient Greece, such as the winner of a cooking competition winning a special prize and allowing him to be the sole seller of his dish for an entire year. Essentially, this was a form of patent although not as wide ranging as modern ones.

Applying for a Patent

You may need to provide examples and definitely some paper work with your application for a patent. This could simply be a plastic injection moulding of your product, or other type of prototype product if it is not yet in production. Most countries have what are called ‘patent’ offices that examine and determine what is worthy of a patent and what constitutes a unique idea.

Some countries have much broader rules and regulations regarding patents while others extend patents for the most arbitrary of ideas and inventions. The United States modern patent system has come under attack for providing patents for almost anything imaginable and it has resulted in patent wars, especially between big companies.

Buying Patents

The use of patents in law suits among big and small businesses has resulted in a growing market for patents. A holder of a patent is not necessarily the inventor (as once would have been the case) and they are now traded the same way as stocks or other commodities. This has lead to increased litigation and large companies buying as many patents as they can to secure their market position. This will perhaps change with increased regulation in regards to patent laws.

Famous Patents

The Telephone – Patented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876 as Patent No. 174,465, this was an invention that changed the world and shows how other inventions can lead to new and unique ones.

The Car – in 1885 Karl Benz built the world’s first real automobile. Although there are other, earlier examples, this was the revolutionary one that led to modern cars.

The Television – in 1884 Paul Nipkow invented a very simple form of television but it would be many years later before television became viable.

If you have a world changing idea make sure you head off to a patent office as soon as you can!