You have just come up with a brilliant idea and you want to go about making it a reality. You know that you will have to patent your idea, but you may not know exactly what patenting a product entails. To have a good chance of getting your product approved, remember to provide detailed documentation of your idea. Don’t talk about your idea to anyone, save for one or two people who will function as witnesses. Do your research to make sure that your invention is indeed an original one, and find out how much it will cost you to make a prototype.
1.  Apply for a Provisional-Patent
Getting a patent can take a very long time, and you always run the risk of someone else coming up with a similar idea and getting it patented before you. One thing you can do to make things go more smoothly is to get a provisional patent.Â
A provisional patent is a means of getting a filing date for your invention. It is less expensive than filing for a non-provisional patent. It gives you one year to get all of your documentation in order and file for the non-provisional patent that will eventually protect your invention. You must include a description and a drawing of your invention to apply for this type of patent, but you will not need as many details as you would for a non-provisional patent.
A non-provisional patent will require full documentation of your idea and proof that it is original. In order to get it approved, the patent office must establish that it is not obvious and that it is original and will be useful to people.
2. Document Everything
It is always a good idea to keep a notebook specifically dedicated to your invention and all the steps that you take in the invention process. Get one or two friends or colleagues who are experts in the field to which your invention relates and ask them to be witnesses for your invention. They will sign and date pages in your notebook as you develop your idea.
Make sure to make a prototype of your idea. If you think you cannot afford one, you may be tempted to use an online funding site. This is not a good idea as once you have disclosed your idea, it becomes public information and can no longer be patented. It is a better idea to borrow the money from friends and relatives of means who trust you or self-finance through credit, if possible.
3. Get a Good Attorney
The most important thing that you can do to protect your idea is to get a competent San Francisco patent attorney from Peil Law who is well versed in the law and has years of experience dealing with the US Patent Office. Your idea deserves to be seen and used by others, and you deserve the credit and the money for it. A little planning can make your idea a reality.
*Authoritative Sources:
https://cannabisnow.com/u-s-patent-office-issues-cbd-trademark-guidelines/
https://www.geek.com/science/16-funny-strange-and-cool-patents-from-the-1870s-to-the-1950s-1789872/
