Protect intellectual property wisely.
Discover 3 proven methods to shield your inventions from scams and ensure secure rights management.
The Emotional Turmoil of Inventing
It’s exciting, isn’t it? That rush of feeling when you know you’ve come up with something good, when you believe that you have the unique key to solve a particular problem? It’s also a little scary, though, when you realize all that has to be done to make sure your invention is protected, that you can not only protect your work, but profit from it. It’s the feeling of uncertainty, fear and dismay that some inventor scams take advantage of. They appear to provide a helping hand through the patenting process… but, in reality, all they do is take advantage of you.
Always Be Questioning
Luckily, there are a few ways you can protect yourself, and your invention. One of the first lines of defense is questioning—if you see an ad or are approached by an invention promotion firm, ask lots of questions, starting with the ones below. A reputable firm will have verifiable answers.
- Of the inventor evaluations you’ve done in the past, what was the split between positive and negative evaluations? Out of how many total evaluations?
- How many customers were put under contract in the past year? Is it a large amount (hundreds, maybe?) Does it seem like there are too many contracts written to be assured that enough attention was given to each inventor?
- Of the inventors they signed, how many made a profit from their inventions, a net profit that can be directly attributed to their firm’s efforts? How about license agreements?
Stay in the Game Mentally
Whether you are considering using the services of a patent promotion company, or hiring your own patent lawyer, questioning is key. Not all companies are the same, and not all lawyers are either. The patent application can be extremely involved and detailed, and for that you need someone who knows what they are doing… but not someone who will take advantage of you. Ask questions, get references, be involved and aware … so that you can go forth and create with confidence.
Contact your Patent Attorney to learn more.
