Inventing/Idea and Patent Help.

Discussion in 'Community Discussion' started by Fearless Leader, Aug 20, 2007.

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  1. Fearless Leader, Aug 20, 2007

    Fearless Leader macrumors 68020

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2006
    Location:
    Hoosiertown
    #1
    Let me explain that better. I like to design and build things. I got books full of ideas and drawings of various items. Some of the better ones I build and they are real interesting of cool little things.

    A couple of times I've wanted to sell my ideas and did some research and found out that a patent existed for all of them. They are real vague, and well just bad.

    So what I'm trying to get at is I've never even heard/seen/knew my idea existed outside of my brain before the search and is locked away as a patent with no intention of it ever being use, because A) a company with a competing or existing product has got it, or B) the company has gone under or something along those lines.

    And what really makes me mad is its just a sentence that explains what it does, not how, or if really even works. and other ideas cant be done based on it, right? Gahh!
     
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  2. r1ch4rd, Aug 21, 2007

    r1ch4rd macrumors 6502a

    r1ch4rd

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2005
    Location:
    Manchester UK
    #2
    The patent system is more than a little flawed. It was meant to stop big companies stealing ideas from little ones and running them into the ground. However it does allow big companies to effectively stop any competition.
     
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  3. MBHockey, Sep 17, 2007

    MBHockey macrumors 68040

    MBHockey

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2003
    Location:
    New York
    #3
    What do you propose to fix it?

    The patent system is in place not for the reasons stated, but for the simple reason to encourage innovation. If there was no patent system, and i discovered electricity, i wouldn't want to show it to anybody or let anybody use it because they'd steal it from me. With the patent system, it's an exchange of knowledge -- I tell the public how to make and use my invention, and in exchange I get exclusive rights to make, sell, and use it for twenty years, after which it becomes public domain.

    To the OP, i would say just keep trying to come up with new things. And once you do get that really new idea, get a patent attorney to handle the application for you.
     
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