How do I get direct contact with major corporations with my patented invention?

The invention is a breakthrough in digital technology. No one has been able to achieve this before. Its usage covers many aspects including IT, telecom etc applications. This is a very important technology for the digital age and all companies will be very interested in acquiring it. Be able to establish direct contact with major corporations will eliminate agents and potential scams during the process.

Participate in Industry Events like Trade Fairs, Technical Seminars, etc. Also write a small Article in a Trade or Technology Journal, discussing the problem your invention solves or the Advantage it confers on the user. Make no mention of the Patented aspects of the Invention, but give sufficient hints that you have patented the solution and that Industry leaders are welcome to discuss modus Operandi for commercial explotation of the Patent. Since the critical areas are already patented , you can think of developing the commercial model and commence trial production for Test Marketing. This would help you to seek Venture Capital as an alternative to Partnership with the Giant corporations or outright selling off of the Rights. Ideally, you should sell the Rights only after a commercial profit of significant high proportion gets booked. It will give you far more bargaining power and fetch better price.

What should I do if a patented invention has the same concept as mine but I think I can make it better?

Say I got an invention and I havn't patented it yet. After doing some research, I find a patent that is similar to mine. My concern is that they are using the wrong material and missing a piece. How do I go about doing this? Where can I find out more about "improving a patent"? Should I further pursue this dream, even though this inventor in 1972 has a patent with the "same concept"?

When you file for a patent, you reference the other patent, and put in a claim for the new improvement to the idea.
The substance of a patent is in the details of the claims, and the 'dependent' claims which refer to former patented or publicly available ideas. You also need to check for public domain information which shows if your idea has been used already. This is called "non-patent prior art".
The real question you have to ask is this: "What is my improvement worth to a manufacturer/seller of this product?"
That will determine if the money it will cost for a patent is worth it.
The real money is in the production and retail aspects of inventing, not on the 'idea' side.

How do I go about getting an invention patented? How do I go about getting an invention patented?

Do not call one of those inventor companies they will rip you off.

Here is a link to the US Patent web site.

http://www.uspto.gov/

Good luck!

How do you go about getting an invention patented? How do you go about getting an invention patented?

Normally, the first step is to conduct a patent search to see if there is anything out there that would be to close to your invention. A search helps an inventor decide whether it makes sense to move forward. A search also better helps inventors know what is out there so that when they do describe their own inventions they can do it with an eye toward particularly pointing out what makes the invention unique in view of other inventions. You can do a preliminary search yourself, or hire someone to do it for you.

http://www.ipwatchdog.com/patent_search.html

The next step would be (or if you decide not to do a search the first step would be) to file some type of patent application. Most individual inventors find a provisional application to be best to start. This will keep your costs down, but provide you with a patent pending, which protects you in several ways. First, it locks in your filing date, which is extremely important. Although in the US we are what is called a first to invent nation, meaning the patent goes to the first to invent, procedurally there is a significant benefit to being the first to file an application. Second, there are certain time tables associated with patent law, some of which act to bar your ability to apply for a patent. These bars generally speaking prevent you from applying for a patent more than 12 months after you or others have done certain things, such as sold a product related to the invention. Because others can create a bar without your knowledge it is important to file an application as soon as reasonably possible. You will still need to file a non-provisional within 12 months, but filing a provisional application buys you time to determine whether moving forward with the expense makes sense. For more information see:

http://www.ipwatchdog.com/provisional_patents.html

Alternatively, you could just start with a non-provisional application, which is an application that will ultimately lead to an issued patent, assuming the invention is patentable. For more information see:

http://www.ipwatchdog.com/nonprovisional.html

You can always go to a patent attorney or do it yourself. Patent attorneys can be very expensive, and doing it yourself can easily present major hurdle. IPWatchdog.com has a unique system that allows inventors to do much of the work themselves under the guidance of a patent attorney, which will dramatically cut costs without sacrificing quality. For more information on this see:

http://www.ipwatchdog.com/inventor_services.html

I hope this helps. Good luck with your invention!

I have a GREAT invention idea- it's actually an innovation because it would use existing technology in a new and very useful, simple way. Everyone I have told about it says it's a winner. I have an engineering background from college and I know it could work.

My question is what do I do now? Money doesn't grow on trees and the patent attorney I spoke with said it is a long and expensive process- I could pitch it to a company but I would need to protect it first- being that it borrows on other technologies (possible conflicts?) I wouldn't know how to go about it. Any suggestions are appreciated. Can I tell someone and have them run with it for an overide - I just fear they would steal it. Can I patent a process/concept?

From the article "How to Protect Your Idea or Intellectual Property" http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol81/protectidea.htm here are some steps you need to take:

1. Consult a patent lawyer and check if your idea can be patented.
2. Keep extensive records tracking the development of your idea.
3. Conduct an extensive research to find out if there are similar patents.
4. Document where, how and to whom you showed your idea.
5. Do your own market research if your idea is marketable
6. Explore the possibility of developing the product yourself, or licensing someone else to make the product for you.

To bring your idea to market, here are some tips from the article "How to Get Your Consumer Invention to Market" http://www.powerhomebiz.com/012006/invention.htm

Getting Started:

- The Ideabook = Keep a bound ideabook of your invention idea. Date your entries.
- Get it Notarized = get it officially confirmed that you conceived your invention idea on a particular date, and have your notes notarized.
- Seek and Search = Do your own patent search to ascertain if your invention is original and prospectively patentable.
- Create the Initial Prototype = Use simple materials to rig it up, to see if it works.
- Get Educated = Educate yourself on the inventing process. Go to a bookstore or inventorhelp.com and review the plethora of books written on the subject.
- The Non-Disclosure Form = Agreement signed between you and anyone you reveal your invention to.

Moving Ahead

- Analyze Costs to Produce = Ascertain what the costs will be.
- The Evaluation Process = Analyze the benefits and features, strengths and weaknesses of your invention.
- Get a Professional Prototype = Have professional prototypes made, the quality of which can be shown to potential retail buyers.
- Protect Your Idea = Apply for a provisional patent yourself.
- The Non-Provisional Patent = Your patent attorney files your non-provisional patent application.

Options for Marketing

- Licensing = The inventor has the choice to license the invention to a manufacturer in exchange for a royalty percentage in sales.
- Manufacturing = Manufacturing and distributing your invention entails higher financial risk but can reap greater profits.

Here are some books that can help you:

From Patent to Profit by Bob De Matteis
Protecting Your #1 Asset : Creating Fortunes from Your Ideas : An Intellectual Property Handbook
Patents and How to Get One : A Practical Handbook
How to Register Your Own Trademark : With Forms
Patent It Yourself
Protecting Your Ideas : The Inventor's Guide to Patents

I don't have a prtotype, or a drawing as of yet. What would my steps be to get it patented? Would a "crude" (not profesional 'blueprint' plan) drawing be sufficent? Can I modify a pre-existing product to create my invention? Where do I go from there?

You need to document your idea by writing it down, in great detail, in a book with a binding (no loose paper). Have two people read your idea and sign, date and write that they have read and understand the idea.

Next step is to contact a patent lawyer (and bring lots of money). They will begin the filing process for you.

You might be able to save yourself some money if you start doing patent searches before contacting the lawyer. You may discover that your idea has already been patented. If this is the case you are out of luck.

The United States Patent Office has a very nice web site and you can search patents back over (I think) the last 25 years. You will need to do a google search to find it.

How do I patent my invention without a patent lawyer or that type of service?

I do not want to use any assistance when patenting this, is it possible?

Yes, it is possible. Just like representing yourself when you are the defendant in a capital murder case.

If your wonderful invention is really good then some crack lawyer will ravage your original patent at the most inopportune time. They'll watch how your new product sells. If it does well they'll pounce, maybe extorting a percent of your profits so they wont challenge your patent.
No. Not a good idea. Do it right.

First, troll the USPTO database (link below) for keywords regarding your invention, to see if it has already been invented. If it passes this test then you're going to need some bucks to do a 'real' search of patent and non-patent (prior art) literature.

How do I patent and invention and protect myself against the company stealing my idea?

I have an invention for babies, and I want to patent my idea, but I'm afraid of any company I work with may steal my idea? What's the best way to protect myself so that the moment I reveal my invention, it is safe?

To protect your rights to the invention, you can file a patent application first, before talking about it to any companies. You can either do that yourself or hire a patent attorney to help you.

Check out http://www.patentengineers.com
It explains how to file a patent, and how patents protect your rights.