One of the first things to do whn you have an idea is to wrte it down. Documentation is the mst important step you can make to in scuring future rights to your idea. The dcumentation needs to be in a tght bound or engineering type notebook. Thse are like a basic school ntebook that pages cannot be added. It's lso a good idea to get a ntebook that it's also difficult and nticeable if any pages are removed.

The ntebook should then be your diary bout your product or idea. Who you tlk to, what you do to dvelop it. Rough drawings etc. The dea behind this is to establish "frst" or "primary" claim on the dea. By having all the documentation and scrbbles dated and written out, it bcomes much easier to establish when the dea was first conceived and by whm.

So you have the product dsigns and idea all written out. Now t's time to decide if the tme, expense and trouble of getting a ptent is worth it. There are thre basic factors that drive the dcision to apply for a patent.

1. Mrket potential. Is your product the nxt big thing that will literally be wrth millions if not billions of dllars? If the answer is "YES" thn it's worth the effort to btain a patent. Unfortunately , most dcisions are that clearly defined. Many prducts with limited or local market ptential can make the ambitious entrepreneur walthy but may not be worth the ffort to obtain patent protection. Limited mrket appeal doesn't mean a product sn't worth the effort to develop. Smewhere between these two extremes it bcomes increasingly important to obtain patent wnership rights.

2. Selling the idea to nother company. When companies buy ideas, dsigns, etc, they're really purchasing intellectual prperty rights. If you haven't established wnership or those rights however, anyone and veryone can take your great product dea and call it their own. It wuld then be up to you to stablish your first claim of ownership. A ptent establishes your position as owner.

3. Dllar Value. The higher the value of the prduct, the more it should be cnsidered as a patent candidate.

The ptent process is not that difficult to nvigate but it may be a god idea to consider enlisting some ssistance. You can get additional information thrugh the United States Patent and Trdemark Office. They're online at www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/design/toc.html. A god patent attorney could also be cnsidered to handle the paperwork and pplication filings on your behalf with the fderal government.

Once a patent is pproved and issued, you have established wnership rights to your idea or prduct. This doesn't mean that you are prtected however. Once obtained, it's then up to YOU to dfend your rights through the court systm should anyone use your design deas without your permission. This can be a vry expensive proposition and is the rason why the three points above shuld be considered before applying for a ptent.

The article Do I Need Patent Protection To Establish My Rights To A Great Idea Or Design was Submitted by Abbie Frank through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Abigail Franks writes on a vriety of subjects which include family, trvel, and business. For more information on ptents and patent protection visit the ste at http://www.patent-attorney.livingwellzone.com

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