How Can You Protect Your Inventions?

Inventioneers Expand "Obviousness" Tip

Who decides what ideas are "obvious"?  Well, it could be the USPTO and/or the courts.  This is an interesting sticking point.  One problem is what's called a "hindsight bias".  Wow, that sounds complicated.  Well, all it means is that after someone explains an idea to you, guess what, it seems obvious!  BUT, was it obvious before it was explained to you?  Which came first, the chicken or the egg.  Here this dilemma explained in a journal article:

Is Your Invention "Non-Obvious"?

The second patentability test requires that your invention must be "non-obvious".  This test requires a high degree of objectivity which is not always easy for an inventor. The official explanation for non-obviousness is that "a person having ordinary skill in the art"* would not be able to easily figure out the same solution your invention presents.

*a fictional person who is considered to have the normal skills and knowledge in a particular technical field, without being a genius (Wikipedia)

The following explanation might help you understand this test.  Check out this example of an invention that failed the "obviousness" test:

Inventioneers' Quote of the Day

"If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves." 

- Thomas Edison

Important Update: Deadline Extended

Some exciting developments are brewing with the Inventioneers Patent Scholarship program.  As a result, we have extended our deadline to May 15th 2012.

Those of you who have already submitted your applications will not be affected by any changes to the  ready, set, PATENT! Award process.  Stay tuned!!!

1888 Velocipede Patent Figure

Is Your Invention Novel?

As we mentioned before, it is important to research your idea to see if another inventor has had the same idea.  To be patentable, your idea must pass the first patent test:  it must be novel.

As you learn more about patents, you'll see the words "prior art" linked to patentability.  Prior art is any information made available publicly before you came up with the idea for your invention.  That's why researching your solution is a key step before you pursue a patent.  If you find parts of your idea already mentioned on the web, in magazines, papers, etc., that is prior art and those parts of your invention will not pass patentability test #1.

Next tip:
What is a priority date?

Inventioneers Patent Scholarship Sponsor Has New Name

While the values and focus of Attorney Vern Maine's firm have not changed, the organization has changed its name for the new year.  To read more about the company, click here.

Selection Process

How the Winner is Selected

The applications are reviewed by the intellectual property law firm and Scholarship Sponsors, Maine, Cernota, and Rardin and other local law firms.  They will use the Eligibility Criteria as part of their review of all applications.  Based on their evaluation, a winner will be selected based on the patentability of the invention.  Finalists will be notified by email.  

Enter to Win!

Our 2013 application period has opened!

How to Enter to Win the

Inventioneers Patent Scholarship 

1.     Click on any  ready, set, PATENT!  logo
     to go to the online application form

2.     Fill out your background information and answer the 
      9 questions as completely as you can.

3.     Click the SUBMIT button at the bottom of the online form. 

4.      Send any drawings or diagrams to:

TheInventioneers@yahoo.com

         Subject Line:  Patent Scholarship Drawings

Your STEM leader/teacher can help guide you through the application process.  Use the form to help you think through your invention – what is it made of, how does it work, etc.  Work out your answers in a word processor file and then cut and paste into the application form.  That way, you have all the details of your invention already documented for your records.

Criteria for the Inventioneers Patent Scholarship

Scholarship Criteria

To see if your invention qualifies for the scholarship, the answer to the following questions must be “YES”:

1.  Is your idea your original work and not that of adult mentors or guides?

2.  Have you conducted research to determine that your idea is “novel” or new?  (If you find an invention that is similar but your idea has novel features, you are still eligible.)

3.  Is your invention a unique device on its own? (combining others’ ideas or products in a new way does not qualify as “unique”)

4.  Is your device “useful”?

5.  Have you identified the end users or customers of your invention?

6.  Have you kept the details of your invention private? (prior public disclosure may limit patentability of your invention)

Eligibility for the Inventioneers Patent Scholarship

Please note that our 2013 application period has opened!

Scholarship Eligibility

·   The  ready, set, PATENT!  Program is open to all NH students ages 8-16. 

·   Traditional and home educated students are eligible.

·   Individual inventors or teams of inventors may apply.  In the case of a team entry, all named inventors must have contributed to the development of the invention.

Inventioneers Offer Patent Education Topics

Here are the upcoming ready, set, PATENT! topics for young inventors:

Protecting Your Invention
Trade Secrets versus Patents
What is Public Disclosure and Safeguards You Should Follow
Timelines for Protecting Your Invention


This is critical information to have

Be an Innovator!

"All greatness of character is dependent on individuality.  The man who has no other existence than that which he partakes in common with all around him, will never have any other than an existence of mediocrity."

- novelist, James Fenimore Cooper

2010 Patent Scholarship Winners Featured in Newsletter

(Click Image for Story)

Patent Hints from the Inventioneers

Why does the application ask us to research similar inventions to our own?

That is one of the first steps all inventors take to see if their idea is unique or "novel" -one of the patentability tests.  It can be really tricky to see if your invention is novel.  Don't be discouraged if you find products or devices that are similar, your idea could have its own unique twist that is patentable.

Do your research carefully and identify the differences between your idea and the