Can I patent an invention without giving a description of the parts that already exits? Help,Assistance please
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Are you looking to just throw some money away? For a patent, you need specifics on the operation and how its made, otherwise I could come right behind you with very little knowledge, make a very minor change the design feature and your patent means nothing. A simple copyright is 350.00 fee and takes around 6 months to get. In that amount of time you will come up with additional features or things to change, so you send another check and it would be a never ending cycle, but you would have a copyright that still wont get you a cup of coffee.
You need some help from someone that does "have the knowledge AND resources" and I hate to admit it, but you will need an attourney and you need to find an engineer. Its more involved than just "drawing a picture" and I would gladly take 40% of a million dollars than 100% of nothing.
While I can't stand the Chambers of Commerce in any town, they do have a group called SCORE. Service Core of Retired Executives. Contact or Google them and they can put you in touch with a person that has the specific knowledge you require. They are retired, they have money and have no interest in trying to steal anything from you. Plus, if it is a good idea, these guys know the angel investors on a first name basis.
DO NOT use the firms you see on TV or those that you Google. Most are crooks that will do exactly what I said. If its a good idea, they hand it off and run it through ahead of you. Even if you have notes and drawings showing you thought of the idea will make no difference in court and you couldn't afford to fight it if you had too. This happend last month with a news story of a man that went to a law office in a highrise and shot and killed several people involved in his patent and stold the idea from him and tried to lock him out of the building. They were the crooks that advertise on TV and pop up first on Google searches.
I have some things I want to copyright, but I have to disclose the method that I use to achieve the results. That would make it readily available for anybody to do, SO I am going to copyright the idea, with a different method that I don't use, but the end results will be the same and, more specifically, used on the same parts for the same industry.
I am not a patent attorney, but I have patent applications. YOU WILL NEED A PATENT ATTORNEY. The claims section is loaded with patent specific wording not normally used by non-attorneys! Also a good attorney can help you generalize the patent to broaden your claims to cover many applications. Electronic patents are not cheap. Figure $15K minimum from start to end. I am a electrical engineer and was AMAZED at the complexity of a patent description/claims, etc...
I think the answer to your question is that you do not need to describe in detail the individual, existing components, but you will have to show the interface between them.
Good luck! Hope this helps!
You need a full description on the cell phone and the printer's technology. You have to mark the uniqueness of your invention, which includes your choice of either available or new cell phone / printing mechanics or technology. You can't just get a blanket patent on a cell phone / printer combo.
You cannot get a Patent unless you have every little part numbered, what it is and what is the purpose for it..You must have a complete abstract (description) of your invention. Drawings must be in Black and White (although color is sometimes allowed it can be expensive) and must be on legal size Paper. I also recommend a Patent Atty. First is to get a disclosure agreement drawn up, second I would do a patent search. You can go to ,I believe it is firstgov.com or do a search for Government P.T.O. (patent and trademark office) here you will find a ton of info to read and forms you can download to learn more on getting info for your patent.
Yes. To obtain a patent you need to disclose enough to allow a professional in the industry to build your device. Specifing to many details can be dangerous as someone may be able to change one detail and get a new patent.
Get this book, it is from a not for profit legal aid group and is well worth the money. They explain all about patenting, and why if you want to make money a lawyer is the way to go, but by reading up on it you can keep yourself from getting screwed by the lawyer.
http://inventors.about.com/library/conte...
In order to obtain a patent, there must be something different or unique that you are reserving the right to prevent duplication of. To simply "duct tape" or attach two devices together and call it a new invention will not work because it is not something new, it is simply an idea. Now, if you had some type of unique way or special part that was needed to make the attaching possible, you could patent the new attaching device...you cannot however patent the idea of attaching two devices together. It would be like patenting chocolate milk because you added chocolate and milk together to make a new product. It would need to be more specific and unique than just chocolate milk (i.e. new type of chocolate to make it with less calories, etc.)
"A patent cannot be obtained upon a mere idea or suggestion. The patent is granted upon the new machine, manufacture, etc., as has been said, and not upon the idea or suggestion of the new machine. A complete description of the actual machine or other subject matter for which a patent is sought is required."
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