Welcome to the Inventor Home information site.

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Links, Resources, and Information for Inventors

QuestionsAnswered

Weekly Patent

Be aware that as of February 1 of 2007 the US PTO ended the Disclosure Document Program, in essence they caved in to their real constituency--patent practitioners--and gave them yet one more easy opportunity to screw over ignorant independent inventors. I'll get that information on this site fixed as soon as I can get to it.)

Future book: How to Get a Strong Patent See WillItSell.com

Go directly to the box for: USPTO, EPO, Google, Scams, Clubs, Manufacturers, Fundamentals, Business Help, Licensing.

WARNING: Some of the resources below are just web sites but others get you to PEOPLE. DO NOT ABUSE those people just because you can contact them. Nobody wants to deal with a flake who has some half baked ideas that he/she is not personally willing to do SUBSTANTIAL homework on. It is STRONGLY suggested that you have read and understood at least 2 books (you pick them) on the idea-to-market process AND that you have studied and understand the prior art and the marketplace of your invention BEFORE you try to convince anyone they should "make you rich" from your idea.

SCAMS!

Complaints against "Invention Promoters" filed at the PTO PTO Promoter Complaint form: 2048a.pdf
The InventorEd lists of other firms to be cautious of and why.
National Inventor Fraud Center, Inc.^$
FTC inventor warnings and complaint form
United Inventors Association^$ red flags and complaint form

More Scam Info & Options

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Clubs

If you don't belong to an inventor club you should try to find a nearby one and attend a few meetings. But check out this club warnings page too.
Annotated list of U.S. clubs.
UIA/USA Member Clubs^$
National Inventor Fraud Center List^$
Inventors Digest List^$
Patent Cafe List^$
International Clubs^$

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Manufacturing

Thomas Register (register for best access) You can also request quotes.
Thomas Regional Services & Mfg by U.S. region
Thomas Publishing Links to European, Indian and other of their directories.
Job Shop.com (register) Plus quotes.
First Index (register) Also quotes.
Kelly Search Worldwide but limited
Manufacturing Engineering resource access point

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It may interest you to know a few facts about inventing and inventor success. Less than 2% of all patents make anyone any money. Less than 1% of all products on the market are "protected" by a patent. Some 60% or so of all new products fail in the marketplace (that includes from big companies; but not all "new products" are inventions). Probably at least 85% of successful inventors earned their success by venturing (building the company and getting their inventions into production and on the market themselves). When new inventors discover getting into the marketplace is hard work about 100% of them come up with the idea of "just licensing it," 4999 of 5000 get nowhere with the licensing approach.

Fundamentals

Your rights to your ideas---or not?^$
Overview of Intellectual Property^$
The venture process---getting started before getting a patent.^$
One possible licensing approach
General Information Concerning Patents html or pdf
A Guide to Filing A Utility Patent Application html or pdf
Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) pdf
Basic Facts About Trademarks html

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Business Help

Expect guidance from these resources, not someone to do the work for you.
U.S. Small Business Administration
SCORE (counseling volunteers)
American Management Association^$
Entrepreneur.com^$
Inc. Magazine^$
National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB)
U.S. Chamber of Commerce resources
United States Junior Chamber (Jaycees)

More Business Info & Options

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Licensing

List of firms that license from inventors.^$
Licensing Executives Society^$ Do not abuse these people with "ideas," they will listen to IP owners.
Harvey Reese^$ licensing agent, submission fee required
Docie Marketing^$ licensing agent, free evaluation
Pelham West Associates^$ Development, manufacturing, and licensing help

More Licensing Info & Options

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Welcome to the InventorHome web site. If you're just starting your journey be aware that those who succeed at independent inventing usually take from 3 to 5 years just to start seeing incoming money---but few succeed, maybe 1 in 500 or 1000. If you want to get an edge over all those failures I highly recommend you put some time into studying at least two books on the entire inventing process. Do not focus on just patenting or just licensing because few inventions are worthwhile patenting and of those few that receive worthwhile patents even less are ever licensed. It just so happens you can follow my advice and support the effort and costs of this web site by purchasing, at a discount and with freebies thrown in, quality inventor books at my Books for Inventors: (www.booksforinventors.com)^$ web site. Thank you. And don't hesitate to e-mail me or offer a suggestion for this site.