You hear them on late night television, newspapers and magazines, even the radio and the internet. The ad goes something like this, "Hey inventor, call our toll free number and we'll help you protect your idea and get rich quick". The question is; should you use an invention submission corporation to help you submit your invention? If you've ever heard one of their compelling ads, they make it sound like you'd be crazy not to. Ultimately, we'll let you make up your own mind about the invention submission industry, but first, here are a few things you should know.
You need to realize that these companies make a living from inventors just like you. But they only make money if you use them to help you submit your invention. Therefore, an unscrupulous invention submission company will tell you what you need to hear to get you to spend thousands of dollars with them.
They feed off your enthusiasm and will urge you to patent and submit your invention by making highly exaggerated claims about the market potential of your invention. Now, it's not to say that your invention won't make money, but no one could really tell you what your invention is worth. The only way to know is to patent it, market it and then count up how much money you've made after a period of time. But, an unscrupulous company will tell you that your invention stands to make you a fortune (no matter what) and any costs you incur now will be trivial. The problem is that many vulnerable inventors fall for it. They hire an invention submission company, spend thousands of dollars, don't get the patent protection they need and wind up with less than nothing in the end.
Therefore, it is worth your time to research your options. For every invention submission company around, there are probably a dozen or more registered patent practitioners. A patent practitioner registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is bound to a code of ethics or they risk being disbarred. Check out the individuals in your town and get referrals if you can.
Please visit Patent Law Portal to find a patent attorney or agent near you and begin the process toward protecting your invention.
