Hello, I'm Karla Mitchell. Going through a legal case can be very expensive and challenging. I won't go into details, but I recently underwent my own legal battle that lasted several years. It is finally over and I successfully received a settlement, but I had to spend so much time studying law in order to play my role in my own court case. While I found a great attorney at one point, I felt completely lost initially and I don't want anyone else to experience the same thing. So I decided to create this blog for those who would like to know more about law.
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If you are planning to invent something you need to do what you can to protect your idea. If you do not, someone else could easily steal it from you, and there would be nothing you could do about it. Before something like this happens, below are three steps you need to take.
1. Document as You Go
It is important that you document everything as you go. This will give proof that you are the person that created the product. To do this, take pictures of your model in the different stages of building. Purchase a log book and write down all money you spend on items for your invention.
Purchase a notebook and keep notes of each step that you take throughout the process. Keep all sketches or any kind of drawings you may have. You can also make a copy of these things to have as a backup. These drawings would go a long way if you ever have to go to court over your invention.
2. Get a Patent
The most important thing you can do is to get a patent for your invention. Once you get this, you are completely protected from anyone trying to steal your idea. If you have no idea where to even start in this process, you should hire a patent attorney to help you.
This type of attorney is qualified in knowing what you have to do to get a patent. The attorney can walk you through the process from beginning to end to ensure everything is done correctly. If you make a mistake with the patent, your product would not be protected under a patent at the end. If you have any problems with the patent later on, such as if someone says they invented your product first, the patent lawyer can represent you in cases like this.
3. Choose the Right Patent Type
You will find there are two main types of patents that are used: Utility Patent and Design Patent. The utility patent protects all aspect of your invention, such as in the different stages of creation. The patent is also broad, which makes it difficult for someone to claim patent infringement on you. Utility patents are expensive, and it may take one to two years for you to get the patent. It is well worth the cost and time, however.
The design patent is less expensive when compared to a utility patent, and you may get the patent protection quicker than a utility patent. This type of patent is not often used, however, because it does not offer all the protection the utility patent does. For example, this patent protects the appearance of your product. The patent will not protect the features of your product or protect the different stages of the product.
Talk with a patent law office like Lingbeck Law Office about this information and they can give you many more details.
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