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Originally Posted by AntonioLao  I think what I really need is a patent lawyer and file a patent application as quickly as I can. |
Hello Antonio,
I see from your profile that you live in the U.S.; therefore I would ask if you've ever heard of the 'first to invent' clause. If not, It's merely a clause in patent laws that allows intellectual property to be protected by means of documentation and records before applying for a patent. Our patent laws don't work on 'first to file' like most countries, but there are rules that must be followed.
A patent is still the way to go, but this process has its advantages if someone is merely an inventor and sells their ideas without manufacturing them themselves. In which case, a large firm will generally redo any preexisting patent due to their ability to get a more reputable patent lawyer; thus a stronger claim. This saves a lot of unneccesary expenses on patents in such a situation.
This is also the method used by many big corporations in their R&D departments. It actually supercedes a patent as long as it's kept up correctly. They refer to them as lab books (i.e. notebook with permenantly bound numbered pages) and there's a certain way they're maintained.
I would still suggest that you keep a lab book while you work towards a patent, as it will stand up in court as proof of your intellectual property if properly maintained.
Here's a couple of links I just pulled up but haven't looked at them real well, but they should give you an idea of how things work:
http://inventors.about.com/od/firstt...nvent_Rule.htm http://www.idearights.com/firsttoinvt.htm
I also have some books on the subject of how to properly keep records and lab books, so let me know if I can be of any further assistance.
Regards,
Tim