Should you always patent a new invention? What is the cost? How is the patent fees determined

t is not uncommon to spend nearly $10,000 to obtain a patent.  Before going through the time consuming and expensive process of obtaining a patent for a product, you should consider the following questions:

• Is there already a patent that exists?
• How profitable will your invention be?
• What alternatives are available to obtaining a patent?

Once you obtain a patent, after a period of 18 months, your ideas will be made public and others may copy or improve upon your idea or product.  A patent provides protection for the invention to the owner of the patent for generally 20 years.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is the government agency responsible for examining all patent applications.  You can obtain a patent by filing a patent application with the USPTO.  The application must include a description of the invention along with specific details outlining how to make and use the invention.  This must be accompanied with drawings, plans, and diagrams to better describe the invention.  The application must also contain information, which determines the extent of protection granted by the patent.  You must also file an oath or declaration swearing that you believe the invention to be yours.

The steps in conducting a patent search and the lengthy process should not be done without proper legal representation.  You may want to consult with an attorney who practices intellectual property law to assist you.