| Are you using all the protection rights afforded to | | | | paramount. |
| you under the umbrella of Intellectual Property | | | | Most of this information is free and available on the |
| (patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, | | | | websites of both the United States Patent and |
| unfair competition)? With my first invention (which I | | | | Trademark Office and the Copyright Office. Although |
| lost due to my ignorance), I had the great home run | | | | it can be challenging to sift through everything, it is |
| idea, but I did not have a clue on how to protect it | | | | to your best interest to know how to navigate and |
| as I began my journey that could have taken me to | | | | find pertinent things concerning your invention idea. |
| commercial success. | | | | Setting up a game plan (some might call it a rough |
| In fact, creating an idea with drawings that made it | | | | business plan) before you even talk to someone |
| work became my burning obsession; so the business | | | | (friends, enemies, relatives, business people, etc.) will |
| side was of little interest to me. And, like so many | | | | be one of your greatest moves for success because |
| other new inventors, having money to seek out and | | | | it will help you put things in perspective. |
| follow legal advice was not an option. In other words: | | | | Under the umbrella of Intellectual Property, protection |
| I did not know that I did not know. Of course, that | | | | rights are afforded to you (in the U.S.) before a valid |
| time was back when easy access to information was | | | | or utility patent, such as a provisional patent, a |
| not around. But now, it seems like there is too much | | | | trademark, a copyright, and even trade secret rights |
| information and that there are so many clever | | | | and unfair competition rights. |
| copywriters that can make you feel that their way | | | | And the truth is that the out of pocket expense is |
| and their information is your only real chance of | | | | dirt cheap, if you understand how to use them by |
| success. | | | | taking small steps. An example would be copyright or |
| Who am I talking about? Well, the biggest group are | | | | trademarks: whereas in both cases you can display |
| attorneys and invention promotion groups. I am not | | | | the symbols of both without any cost at all. |
| proclaiming that they (the legitimate ones) do not | | | | The law is (unless they changed it five minutes ago) |
| have their place in the process, but it is the timing | | | | both copyrights and trademarks become effective |
| that you need to understand and how all intellectual | | | | the second of the conception by the author. (This is |
| property (patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade | | | | the small step I was referring to.) However, if you |
| secrets, and unfair competition) fit into the scheme | | | | see that this is a very important part of the |
| of things. | | | | protection for the invention, then it is more than wise |
| With that knowledge you need to understand the | | | | to register both of them with the U.S. Patent and |
| steps there are and in what order you need to take. | | | | Trademark Office and the Copyright Office. Who |
| The truth is it takes a few years to be granted a | | | | knows, you may have to defend your idea in a court |
| valid patent; so while that part of the process is | | | | of law someday. |
| developing, protecting your invention idea is | | | | |