Frustrated inventor needs some advice

[Ricochet]

If you're so passionate about your invention, why not save the money to build a prototype (if not the full-blown size, a small replica)? You're griping about ideas you had 15-20 years ago, when in all that time you could have built capital.

 

[Blitzvogel]

Think of an everyday problem you and millions of other people have and get to work fixing it.

 

[Bignate603]

For your original questions, you don't need to have a working prototype before you patent it.

You need to be aware though that a patent won't make people take you seriously or open any doors to actually make you any money from your idea. Having a patent doesn't meant that your idea works, it just protects the rights to your idea and it doesn't even do that very well. Getting an idea and getting a patent is the smallest part of making money off it. Unless you've got a plan to bring it to market you may as well save your time and money.

 

[Meghan54]

*Snip*

So, the upshot of that diatribe is you really haven't invented anything, right? Just thinking about how to improve something isn't inventing anything.....you've just fantasized about making junk or making junk junkier, am I right?

Producing the improved thing or the unique thing is inventing. As has been said, ideas are a dime a dozen and are almost worthless unless followed through to fruition.

 

[Mr. Lennon]

Back in 92' I made a portable movie player that used discs instead of VHS for my 2nd grade invention convention. I got beat by a dumbass who made a automatic toothpaste dispenser brush (how fucking original).

Next year I designed a truck/suburban hybrid. This later became the Chevy Avalanche. Too bad I wasn't old enough to do anything with these ideas D:

Here's a quote from John Hammond,

"I applied for a patent on color television fifteen years ago (1917), only to find later that some one had beaten me to it by more than ten years (1907)."

Think about it...some guy in 1907 thought about COLOR television. Enough so that he even got a patent on it. Amazing.

 

[SagaLore]

emailed several companies,

You're going to have to do more than just that.

You're going to sketch your idea, perhaps even build a proof of concept out of cheap materials, and get a hold of those companies by phone. And you have to be willing to travel to meet with real people to present it.

 

[Q]

Inventions in and of themselves aren't what worth the money, it's getting people to buy or use them. Look at the internet, for example. It's easy to create a website, even a really unique one. It's getting people to visit there, re-vist there, and make it a habit of viewing the site that's the hard part, and thus, what makes money.

 

[Bignate603]

So, the upshot of that diatribe is you really haven't invented anything, right? Just thinking about how to improve something isn't inventing anything.....you've just fantasized about making junk or making junk junkier, am I right?

Producing the improved thing or the unique thing is inventing. As has been said, ideas are a dime a dozen and are almost worthless unless followed through to fruition.

On that point, you're incorrect. You can patent improvements on existing products, even if the product is already patented. For example, say someone has patented a horn and someone else has patented a bicycle. You could patent the idea of putting a horn on a bicycle. Now, that patent doesn't give you the right to make a bicycle with a horn on it (that would violate the other two people's patents) but you could legally prevent other people from making bikes with horns on them without your permission.

It's actually a very common thing to do, and often companies will watch for what their competitors are patenting then patent logical improvements to it to block them from actually using the best incarnation of their idea. To get around this some companies will adopt what is sometimes called the "picket fence" strategy where they'll patent their core idea and then rapidly and publicly publish any improvements to establish them as prior art, making them unpatentable. They protect the core idea while retaining rights to all of the additional improvements and only having to pay to file and maintain a single patent.

 

[herm0016]

most states have some sort of help for independent business. I went to the Wyoming inventors conference this year. It was put on by our senator Enzie. you need to find a patent attorney that works with independents. Patents are expensive and take a long time. even before that you need to conduct or pay a company to do a search for similar devices to make sure you can patent your idea. The conference was very informative. building a prototype is the best way to work out your design and to start to market what you have.

I have always been better at building things than thinking of them.

 

[cornbread]

Oh, trust me, this is something extremely new and useful. Let's just say it involves lasers, copper wire, parts from a microwave oven, a metal detector, cherry cough syrup, a tin can, moth balls, a bra strap, and several golf balls. And a few ingredients I won't name here, as then someone might be able to figure out what it is.

But seriously, the way I see it, someone has to come up with an invention first, and the latest one I've come up with is very unique.

You been drinking all that cough syrup??

 

[hoyaguru]

For your original questions, you don't need to have a working prototype before you patent it.

You need to be aware though that a patent won't make people take you seriously or open any doors to actually make you any money from your idea. Having a patent doesn't meant that your idea works, it just protects the rights to your idea and it doesn't even do that very well. Getting an idea and getting a patent is the smallest part of making money off it. Unless you've got a plan to bring it to market you may as well save your time and money.

Yes, but doesn't a patent cost TONS of money?

 

[hoyaguru]

If you're so passionate about your invention, why not save the money to build a prototype (if not the full-blown size, a small replica)? You're griping about ideas you had 15-20 years ago, when in all that time you could have built capital.

Building a prototype for the invention I have in mind would be just about impossible, as some of the components are not available to the average person. Now that I no longer work for the government, most of my avenues for "hard to get" items are closed.

 

[Leros]

Yes, but doesn't a patent cost TONS of money?

And you have to be able to afford to defend your patent when a big company infringes on it.

My personal opinion (and a lot of companies too) is to not worry about patents at all. Just be the best person making your product.

 

[hoyaguru]

So, the upshot of that diatribe is you really haven't invented anything, right? Just thinking about how to improve something isn't inventing anything.....you've just fantasized about making junk or making junk junkier, am I right?

Producing the improved thing or the unique thing is inventing. As has been said, ideas are a dime a dozen and are almost worthless unless followed through to fruition.

No, as I said in my OP, "I’ve got a new idea that I’m sure would be a money maker, using existing technology but in a new way". This means there are technologies that exist in the world right now, and I have thought of a way of combining tow or more of them to create something new and useful.

And now I'm going to invent something that will force people to actually read and comprehend an original post before hitting the reply button and typing stupid. Wish me luck.

 

[hoyaguru]

You're going to have to do more than just that.

You're going to sketch your idea, perhaps even build a proof of concept out of cheap materials, and get a hold of those companies by phone. And you have to be willing to travel to meet with real people to present it.

Again, from the original post, "I am not any good at building or creating the things I think up, or even drawing them well enough".

Never said I wasn't willing to travel. Never said that at all, in fact I've traveled quite extensively, and enjoyed most of it.

 

[hoyaguru]

Inventions in and of themselves aren't what worth the money, it's getting people to buy or use them. Look at the internet, for example. It's easy to create a website, even a really unique one. It's getting people to visit there, re-vist there, and make it a habit of viewing the site that's the hard part, and thus, what makes money.

That is like poetry man, I'm going to get that tattooed on my arm,

"Inventions in and of themselves aren't what worth the money, it's getting people to buy or use them."

Lovely

 

[SagaLore]

Again, from the original post, "I am not any good at building or creating the things I think up, or even drawing them well enough".

Never said I wasn't willing to travel. Never said that at all, in fact I've traveled quite extensively, and enjoyed most of it.

You flew/drove to a company and pitched them your idea?

 

[hoyaguru]

On that point, you're incorrect. You can patent improvements on existing products, even if the product is already patented. For example, say someone has patented a horn and someone else has patented a bicycle. You could patent the idea of putting a horn on a bicycle. Now, that patent doesn't give you the right to make a bicycle with a horn on it (that would violate the other two people's patents) but you could legally prevent other people from making bikes with horns on them without your permission.

It's actually a very common thing to do, and often companies will watch for what their competitors are patenting then patent logical improvements to it to block them from actually using the best incarnation of their idea. To get around this some companies will adopt what is sometimes called the "picket fence" strategy where they'll patent their core idea and then rapidly and publicly publish any improvements to establish them as prior art, making them unpatentable. They protect the core idea while retaining rights to all of the additional improvements and only having to pay to file and maintain a single patent.

You are absolutely correct! Nice to see someone who can talk sense. My current invention is KIND of like what you're talking about, but a little more involved. It is using robotics, computers and software, GPS technology, and a few other technologies, all put together in a way that does not exist now, to solve a problem that humans struggle with daily. The problem this solves is more a time issue, what today takes an hour to do, and can be done at approximately a 50 to 60% success rate, my invention can do in half the time, with a 95% or more success rate. It is not a technology that is needed, but is one that will be wanted. Can't really go into it more than that.

 

[leeland]

I don't mean to thread crap...but when I saw this thread I immediately thought about this video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPCxHhUPI2c

always good for chuckle

 

[Leros]

You flew/drove to a company and pitched them your idea?

I don't think many companies will actually listen to outside ideas. You get into a whole heap of legal trouble.

 

[hoyaguru]

most states have some sort of help for independent business. I went to the Wyoming inventors conference this year. It was put on by our senator Enzie. you need to find a patent attorney that works with independents. Patents are expensive and take a long time. even before that you need to conduct or pay a company to do a search for similar devices to make sure you can patent your idea. The conference was very informative. building a prototype is the best way to work out your design and to start to market what you have.

I have always been better at building things than thinking of them.

Do you happen to know if there is help for Veterans? That's something I haven't thought to look up.

From what I've found, you are correct, patents cost a lot, and take forever. Google actually has a patent search tool, I've gone through it for countless hours, and scoured the internet, haven't found anything even close to what I've thought up.

Were there companies at the conference who said they would help you patent your inventions? I've been warned to watch out for these companies, as it's hard to find one that is legit, they are liable to steal your idea and patent it under their own name. Once they have the patent, there's nothing you can do. The way it was described to me, it's like letting someone else sign the back of your winning lottery ticket, they can keep the money and you don't have a leg to stand on.

 

[hoyaguru]

And you have to be able to afford to defend your patent when a big company infringes on it.

My personal opinion (and a lot of companies too) is to not worry about patents at all. Just be the best person making your product.

Yes, and then you have the same problem but worse with other countries. That's why I'd like to somehow be able to talk to a big company, and get a contract with them where they will pay for all the patent stuff, for a piece of action. Either they would own a percentage of the patent, or be the only ones who are allowed to manufacture the product, or something like that. Hard part is getting the attention of someone trustworthy at these companies to talk to in the first place, which I understand. I ran my own company for years, if someone called me up and told me the same thing I have to tell these big companies, I doubt I would take them seriously either.

 

[hoyaguru]

You flew/drove to a company and pitched them your idea?

Traveled, called, wrote emails and snail mails. Never got to the point where I could talk to someone I could trust. One guy I told about half of what I had actually wanted to go into business with me, but I didn't know the guy, and that's not what I was looking for.

Put it this way, say you needed to talk to the owner of Sony, how much luck do you think a regular guy would have getting in to actually have a one on one with him?

 

[Nebor]

Put it this way, say you needed to talk to the owner of Sony, how much luck do you think a regular guy would have getting in to actually have a one on one with him?

I think perhaps your problem is that you don't know how the business world works.

 

[disappoint]

Well, I did have an invention where, when I asked a question on Anandtech, it weeded out the idiot's answers, but as you can see, it doesn't work very well.

Wouldn't it be nice if only people who could actually answer a question would respond on ATOT, but unfortunately, the chances are very hit or miss.

I can tell by your post that you're a back woods idiot with (at the most) 4 teeth, who got his education from re-runs of Lost in Space, as you're trying to answer a question that is WAY beyond your intellect, and coming up with off the wall generalizations and theories about me that are ludicrous in the extreme.

Also, this might be useful to you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYfM-frIWlQ

U mad bro? Y you mad tho?

I'm going to take a wild guess that what I wrote struck a nerve because it was true. Truth hurts don't it? As you can see I, unlike you am not angry because your response, juvenile as it was, is way off the mark.