You’ve come up with an idea for a product, process or service. Now what? Does it belong to you, or is it something you can share with others? If you decide to pursue patent protection, what steps should you take?

Inventing an idea is the first step to patenting an invention. To be patentable, an invention must be new, useful and not obvious to someone with ordinary skill in the art.

If you think you have an invention that might be patentable, there are several steps you can take. The first is to determine whether your idea is novel or has been previously disclosed. If it has been publicly disclosed, then it likely cannot be patented.

The next step is to do a search on the internet for any existing patents that may cover your invention. This will give you some insight into how much research has been done on the subject matter and what types of inventions are already out there.

Once you know whether your idea falls within one or more existing patents, you should consult with a patent attorney or agent who can advise you on how best to proceed toward filing for a patent application for your invention.

The purpose of doing this research is to determine whether you have an original idea that can be patented. If the answer is no, then there is little point in filing for a patent because you will not receive one. The invention must be novel and nonobvious in order to qualify for a patent.

If you have new invention ideas that have not been patented, it is possible to file a patent application. If you are unsure whether your idea is eligible for patent protection, you should consult with a patent attorney or agent.