Inventing For Dummies

by Bird, Pamela Riddle; Bird, Forrest M.

• ISBN13: 9780764542312
• ISBN10: 0764542311
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-05-07
• Publisher: For Dummies

Summary

Full coverage of the ins and outs of inventing for profit Protect your idea, develop a product - and start your business! Did you have a great idea? Did you do anything about it? Did someone else? Inventing For Dummies is the smart and easy way to turn your big idea into big money. This non-intimidating guide covers every aspect of the invention process - from developing your idea, to patenting it, to building a prototype, to starting your own business. The Dummies Way * Explanations in plain English * "Get in, get out" information * Icons and other navigational aids * Tear-out cheat sheet * Top ten lists * A dash of humor and fun Discover how to: * Conduct a patent search * Maintain your intellectual property rights * Build a prototype product * Determine production costs * Develop a unique brand * License your product to another company

Author Biography

Pamela Riddle Bird, PhD is the founder and CEO of Innovative Product Technologies, a Florida-based company that assists inventors in marketing their inventions.

Table of Contents

Foreword	xix
Introduction	1	(4)
About This Book	1	(1)
Conventions Used in This Book	2	(1)
Foolish Assumptions	2	(1)
How This Book Is Organized	2	(2)
Part I: Making Your Idea Yours	2	(1)
Part II: Securing Other Intellectual Property	3	(1)
Part III: Developing Your Idea	3	(1)
Part IV: Commercializing Your Invention	3	(1)
Part V: The Part of Tens	3	(1)
Part VI: Appendixes	4	(1)
Icons Used in This Book	4	(1)
Where to Go from Here	4	(1)
Part 1: Making Your Idea Yours	5	(50)
Chapter 1: The Innovation Process	7	(10)
Deciding Where to Go with Your Idea	7	(2)
Protecting Your Idea	9	(3)
Keeping good records	9	(2)
Participating in the Disclosure Document Program	11	(1)
Spinning Through the Product Life Cycle	12	(5)
Chapter 2: Patent Basics	17	(10)
Finding Out the Functions of a Patent	17	(2)
Knowing What's Patentable	19	(1)
Looking at the Types of Patents	19	(2)
Make yourself useful; get me a utility patent!	20	(1)
Design patent	20	(1)
Planting the seeds of invention: The plant patent	21	(1)
Hiring a Patent Agent or Attorney	21	(3)
Patent agent versus patent attorney	22	(1)
Knowing what they can do for you	22	(1)
Choosing the right attorney or agent for the job	23	(1)
It's a Small World: International Issues	24	(3)
Applying for foreign patents	24	(1)
Foreign applicants for U.S. patents	25	(2)
Chapter 3: Conducting a Patent Search	27	(8)
Do I Really Need to Do a Patent Search?	27	(1)
Determining Whether Your Idea Is Really New	28	(1)
Searching for Existing Patents	29	(2)
Searching for patents via the Internet	29	(2)
Searching for international patents	31	(1)
Getting Professional Help	31	(2)
Questions to ask	32	(1)
Knowing the cost	32	(1)
Using Your Search Results	33	(2)
Chapter 4: Applying For and Receiving Your Patent	35	(12)
Knowing Who Can Apply for a Patent	35	(3)
Applying as co-inventors	36	(1)
Choosing a representative	37	(1)
Filing for Different Types of Patents	38	(6)
Paying attention to the process	38	(2)
Filing a utility patent	40	(2)
Filing a design patent	42	(1)
Filing for a plant patent	42	(1)
Filing for a provisional patent	43	(1)
Making the Most of a Pending Patent	44	(1)
Getting Your Patent	45	(2)
Chapter 5: Maintaining and Defending Your Patent	47	(8)
Keeping Current by Paying Your Fees	47	(2)
Valuing Your Patent	49	(1)
Taking a businesslike view	49	(1)
Assigning your patent	49	(1)
Licensing your patent	50	(1)
Defending Your Patent Against Infringement	50	(1)
Insuring Your Patent	51	(6)
Offensive patent insurance	52	(1)
Defensive patent insurance	53	(2)
Part II: Securing Other Intellectual Property	55	(40)
Chapter 6: Trademarks and Trade Secrets	57	(16)
What Is a Trademark?	57	(1)
Federal versus State Trademarks	58	(2)
Using the Trademark and Service Mark Symbols	60	(1)
Understanding the Basics for Filing a Federal Trademark Application	60	(7)
Having a basis for your application	61	(1)
Filing electronically	62	(1)
Filing via snail mall	62	(1)
Owning the trademark	63	(1)
Providing correspondence info for the USPTO	63	(1)
Drawing your mark	64	(1)
Listing goods and services	65	(1)
Including a specimen	66	(1)
Paying to play - filing fees	67	(1)
Filing an Intent-to-Use Application	67	(1)
Trade Secrets - Shhhhhhhh!	68	(5)
Looking at examples of trade secrets	69	(1)
Pondering the pros and cons of trade secrets	70	(1)
Protecting your trade secret	70	(3)
Chapter 7: Stopping Copycats with a Copyright	73	(16)
What Is a Copyright?	73	(1)
Who Can Claim Copyright?	74	(1)
Copyright Protection	75	(6)
What works are protected? You took the words out of my mouth	76	(1)
What's not protected by copyright	76	(1)
Securing copyright protection	77	(3)
How long does copyright protection last?	80	(1)
Registering Your Copyright	81	(7)
Knowing who may file an application	82	(1)
Applying for an original registration	82	(1)
Renewing your registration	83	(1)
Registering unpublished collections	84	(1)
Considering special deposit requirements	84	(1)
Effective date of registration	85	(1)
Correcting and amplifying existing registrations	86	(1)
Paying registration fees	86	(1)
Contacting the Copyright Office	87	(1)
Transferring a Copyright	88	(1)
Chapter 8: Mum's the Word: Keeping it Confidential	89	(6)
Spilling the Beans about the Basics	89	(2)
Sharing with the People in Your Life	91	(2)
Securing dinner-table talk	91	(1)
Signing on employees	91	(1)
Zipping your lips at work	92	(1)
Talking to the big boys	93	(1)
Running into Someone Who Won't Sign	93	(2)
Part III: Developing Your Idea	95	(50)
Chapter 9: Prototyping: Making It Work	97	(12)
Understanding the Importance of Prototyping	97	(1)
Obtaining Your Prototype	98	(6)
Going through the process yourself	98	(2)
Hiring a prototype maker to do it for you	100	(3)
Prototyping with an existing manufacturer	103	(1)
Protecting Your Ideas During the Prototyping Process	104	(1)
Cost-Effectively Producing Your Product	104	(5)
Meeting product safety standards	105	(1)
Developing design control documents	105	(1)
Considering graphic design and packaging	106	(1)
Pricing your product	107	(1)
Choosing the right manufacturing materials	107	(2)
Chapter 10: Hiring Helpers and Working with Work-for-Hire Agreements	109	(8)
Hiring Professionals to Turn Your Idea into a Reality	109	(3)
Picking a prototyper	110	(1)
Arranging for packaging personnel	111	(1)
Protecting Your Idea and Your Product	112	(2)
Working Out Work-For-Hire Agreements	114	(3)
Chapter 11: Evaluating Your Invention's Potential	117	(10)
Answering Questions about Viability	117	(2)
Is your idea original?	118	(1)
How will your invention be produced?	118	(1)
Will your invention make money?	119	(1)
Asking for Evaluations	119	(7)
Hiring a professional evaluator	120	(1)
Bracing for feedback	121	(1)
Looking at evaluation techniques	122	(1)
Cutting into PIES	123	(3)
Maximizing the Results of Your Evaluation	126	(1)
Chapter 12: Looking at the Production Process	127	(18)
Focusing on the Process	127	(4)
Examining product cycling	128	(1)
Subcontracting	129	(2)
Making Up the Materials	131	(6)
Figuring out what you need	131	(1)
Taking on tooling	132	(1)
Controlling inventory	132	(1)
Packaging for profit and protection	133	(1)
Shipping news	134	(2)
Delivering the goods	136	(1)
Storing things away	136	(1)
Inspecting Facilities	137	(3)
Finding housing	137	(2)
Lining up your equipment	139	(1)
Calculating Costs	140	(2)
Finding ways to save	141	(1)
Judging economies of scale	142	(1)
Working with People	142	(1)
Checking Quality Control	143	(2)
Part IV: Commercializing Your Invention	145	(158)
Chapter 13: Developing a Business Plan	147	(26)
Realizing that You Need a Business Plan	147	(1)
Working Up a Business Plan	148	(2)
What your plan can do for you	148	(1)
Who should write the plan?	149	(1)
Breaking Down Your Business Plan	150	(23)
Making your plan look presentable	150	(1)
Sketching It out	150	(1)
Writing an Executive Summary	151	(1)
Putting your research on the market	152	(7)
Introducing yourself	159	(6)
The corporate bigwigs	165	(2)
The money	167	(1)
Getting even and getting out	168	(2)
Stuff tacked on at the end	170	(3)
Chapter 14: Finding Funding	173	(20)
Determining How Much and For What	174	(2)
Looking at what you need money for	175	(1)
Determining how much you need	175	(1)
Figuring Out the Types of Financing	176	(3)
Defining the terms	176	(2)
Rating risk and return	178	(1)
Seeking Out Sources of Capital	179	(10)
The most important source - you!	180	(1)
Getting a little help from your friends	181	(1)
Going the conventional route with bank loans	181	(1)
Calling on angels	182	(1)
Letting employees invest	183	(1)
Acquiring funds though acquisitions - If you can't beat 'em, acquire 'em!	184	(1)
Venturing over to venture capitalists	184	(3)
Obtaining a government loan	187	(2)
Getting Free Money from Your Uncle Sam	189	(4)
Locating local grants	190	(1)
Going to the SBA	190	(3)
Chapter 15: Keeping Control with Your Own Business	193	(22)
Considering Carefully	194	(3)
Asking yourself some basic questions	194	(1)
Evaluating your skills	195	(1)
Realizing that most small businesses fail	196	(1)
Deciding to Go for It	197	(6)
Assessing your skills, education, and experience	197	(2)
Planning the steps	199	(1)
Finding a home for your business	200	(2)
Buying business insurance	202	(1)
Building a Business Structure	203	(4)
Going solo with a sole proprietorship	203	(1)
Partnering up	204	(1)
Looking at limited liability companies	205	(1)
Incorporating	206	(1)
Adhering to Government Regulations	207	(3)
Business licenses	208	(1)
Certificate of Occupancy	208	(1)
Fictitious business name	208	(1)
Tax information	208	(1)
Sales tax number	209	(1)
Employee protection	209	(1)
Minimum wage	210	(1)
Doing Business with the Federal Government	210	(2)
The Prime Contracts Program	211	(1)
Subcontracting Assistance Program	211	(1)
Certificate of Competency Program	212	(1)
Procurement Marketing and Access Network	212	(1)
Making Use of Contacts and Sources of Assistance	212	(3)
Chapter 16: Partnering and Manufacturing Arrangements	215	(12)
Paying and Partnering Arrangements	215	(3)
Contracting out or joining up	216	(1)
Mergers and acquisitions	217	(1)
Teaming Up with a Manufacturer	218	(5)
Locating potential manufacturers	218	(1)
Assessing plants	219	(2)
Examining the manufacturer's track record	221	(1)
Negotiating a contract	221	(2)
Partnering Abroad	223	(4)
Matching up with the right foreign partner	223	(1)
Issues to consider when partnering abroad	224	(3)
Chapter 17: Preparing to Take Your Invention to Market	227	(18)
Discovering What You Need to Know	227	(6)
Finding out about your customers	228	(1)
Keeping up with the competition	229	(1)
Packaging for appeal and profit	230	(1)
Pricing your product to sell	231	(2)
Doing Market Research	233	(12)
Defining the opportunity or problem	235	(1)
Setting objectives, budgets, and timetables	235	(1)
Selecting research types, methods, and techniques	236	(1)
Designing research instruments	237	(5)
Organizing and analyzing the data	242	(3)
Chapter 18: Marketing Your Product	245	(16)
Developing Your Market Strategy	245	(14)
Mixing it up	247	(1)
Targeting your market	248	(1)
Making sales presentations	249	(1)
Attending trade shows	250	(4)
Getting your product and customers together	254	(2)
Steering clear of invention promotion companies	256	(3)
Evaluating Your Ongoing Progress	259	(2)
Chapter 19: Advertising Your Product	261	(14)
Exploring Advertising Basics	261	(1)
Designing Your Advertising Campaign	262	(5)
Tying into a theme	263	(1)
Targeting your audience	263	(1)
Choosing the best media for your message	264	(1)
Setting objectives and measuring results	265	(1)
Coming up with a budget	266	(1)
Supplementing Your Regular Advertising	267	(5)
Pursuing promotions	268	(1)
Pushing public relations	269	(2)
Working up some free publicity	271	(1)
Looking At a Few Tricks of the Trade	272	(3)
Chapter 20: Licensing Your Product	275	(14)
Contemplating Licensing	275	(2)
What are your chances?	276	(1)
Weighing the pros and cons	276	(1)
Regarding Licensees	277	(4)
Locating potential licensees	278	(1)
Considering potential licensees	279	(2)
Getting in Touch with Your Potentials	281	(2)
Gathering the materials you need	281	(1)
Making your way to making your pitch	282	(1)
Considering the company's side	282	(1)
Facing Rejection	283	(2)
Examining Types of Licensing Agreements	285	(3)
Being exclusive	285	(1)
Opening up to nonexclusive agreements	286	(2)
Taking Care of Foreign Licensing	288	(1)
Chapter 21: Negotiating a License	289	(14)
Employing the Art of Negotiation	289	(7)
Submitting to an evaluation	290	(1)
Prepping for the meeting	291	(2)
Laying out the agenda	293	(1)
Regarding your bargaining position	294	(1)
Negotiating like a pro	295	(1)
Estimating Your Invention's Value	296	(1)
Contemplating Compensation	297	(8)
Getting reimbursed upfront	298	(1)
Getting bucks no matter what	298	(2)
Researching royalty rates	300	(3)
Part V: The Part of Tens	303	(22)
Chapter 22: Ten Key Contacts	305	(6)
Evaluation Services for Your Invention	305	(2)
Innovative Product Technologies, Inc	305	(1)
Wisconsin Innovation Service Center	306	(1)
The Innovation Institute and the WIN Evaluation Center	306	(1)
The Federal Trade Commission	307	(1)
Inventors' Digest Magazine	307	(1)
The Library of Congress Copyright Office	307	(1)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)	308	(1)
Small Business Development Center Program	308	(1)
Toy Industries Association	309	(1)
United Inventors Association	309	(1)
The United States Patent and Trademark Office	310	(1)
Small Business Administration	310	(1)
Chapter 23: Ten Inventions (and Inventors) That Changed the World	311	(6)
Cottoning On to Eli Whitney	311	(1)
Meeting Metal Man Henry Bessemer	312	(1)
Reaping with Cyrus Hall McCormick	312	(1)
Sterilizing and Louis Pasteur	312	(1)
Calling Alexander Graham Bell	313	(1)
Cooling Off with Willis Haviland Carrier	313	(1)
Flying High with the Wright Brothers	314	(1)
Assembling Henry Ford	314	(1)
Animating Walt Disney	314	(1)
Plugging In to Steve Wozniak	315	(2)
Chapter 24: Ten Inventors to Emulate	317	(8)
Dr. Forrest M. Bird	317	(1)
James L. Fergason	318	(1)
Helen M. Free	319	(1)
Dr. James Hillier	319	(1)
Dr. Marcian E. (Ted) Hoff	320	(1)
William P. Lear	320	(1)
Edward Lowe	321	(1)
Dr. Jay Morton	322	(1)
Dr. Robert H. Rines	322	(1)
James E. West	323	(2)
Part VI: Appendixes	325	(18)
Appendix A: Sample Agreements	327	(10)
Appendix B: Online Resources	337	(6)
USPTO and Related International Links	337	(1)
Important Links for Copyrights	338	(1)
Domain Name-Related Links	338	(1)
Law-Related Links	339	(1)
Other Important Legal, International, and Organizational Links	340	(1)
News, Search, Manufacturers, and Law Associations-Related Links	341	(1)
Additional Government Resources	342	(1)
Index	343