The path of an invention is frequently lengthy and winding, with unexpected twists and turns along the way—after all, the road less traveled can be lonely! Add in creative disagreements with your team, legal wrangling, and technological issues with your creation, and you’ve got yourself a perfect storm.
The topic of protecting your invention is at the heart of the storm. To weather the storm, obtaining a patent for an entrepreneur should be your first priority. You’re unlikely to be able to recover from the fallout if you don’t make efforts to safeguard your idea.
However, what exactly does that imply? As an innovator, you may be tempted to believe that your concept is unique and dismiss comparable ideas. However, there’s a reasonable probability that someone else in the world is working on a product that’s comparable to yours. In order to ensure that your invention is ready to be introduced to the world, getting a patent must be given priority early in the process.
Most inventors are uninformed of the restrictions governing patents, making them vulnerable to committing a patent blunder—and you can’t afford even one blunder if you want to attract a venture capitalist’s attention.
1. Poor Depiction Of Invention
One of the most common errors is the failure to include sufficient information in the patent specification. It occurs when the specification is written by the inventor or a novice patent attorney. It also happens because there’s a fear that the person reading the patent application won’t be able to understand the invention with the information provided.
In any event, developing the patent specification from that perspective results in a patent specification that is poorly written. A candidate must present a compelling and intelligible portrayal in order to be considered for a patent. When you provide an insufficient and unclear description, your chances of getting a patent rejected skyrocket.
Furthermore, such a patent specification neglects to mention the invention’s original and creative features. As a result, it’s vital to cover every aspect of the invention because this ensures that anyone with a basic understanding of the craft will be able to grasp it.
Making a mistake on a patent application can have serious ramifications later on. So, it is necessary to seek professional assistance. Visit https://inventhelp.com/invention-patent-referrals to know more.
2. Not Filing Patent Application As Soon As Possible
The patent application procedure is incredibly time-sensitive, and most people procrastinate far too long before beginning. Many people, for example, rely on the one-year “grace period” provided by US law, which permits you to file a US patent application within one year of selling the concept and publicly disclosing the innovation.
Depending on the grace period, a competitor can also take advantage of the intermittent time and file their own patent application. Furthermore, most countries do not have a one-year grace period, and patent rights are forfeited outside the United States unless you file a patent application before the official announcement.
Your company’s financial destiny, as well as its viability, is determined by the patent. Even if you were the original creator, you could be prosecuted for patent infringement and forced to close your business if you do not patent your innovation as soon as possible.
As a result, prepare ahead and begin filing your patent application far before making any public disclosures about your idea.
3. Search For Patients Using Methods Other Than Google
When you are the first person to come up with an idea in a country or around the world, your innovation becomes patented. You must ensure that you are the sole inventor of the innovation and that no one else has filed a patent application for it. Your first impulse may be to Google the invention in order to do a patent search.
However, the internet is not a reliable source for conducting a patent search. Firstly, many patent applications have most certainly been denied, yet they are still available on the internet. It is also possible that a current patent that recognizes your invention does not cover your work. Secondly, as an innovator, you must maintain objectivity. Read whatever you can. Studying patents related to your innovation can impact you, and you may try to experiment with the uniqueness of your idea.
If your search reveals that your innovation has already been commercialized, at the very least, you’ve saved money on a professional front. You can focus on coming up with your next brilliant idea. If you can’t locate anything worthwhile in your preliminary search, it’s time to get someone to do it for you. Do not believe that just because you couldn’t find any prior art on your own that you’re safe!
Alternatively, concentrate on writing the best description of your idea and enlist the help of a professional to do extensive patent searches utilizing specific IP databases after a fast search.
4. Defining The Innovation Too Broadly
Another common blunder made by a novice in patent drafting is defining their innovation too broadly. A majority of inventors strive to explain their inventions too broadly in order to widen the scope of protection. The inventors usually do this to ensure that their patent application provides as much protection as possible.
Nonetheless, asserting or claiming the invention too broadly can leave the scope of the innovation’s protection in doubt. Furthermore, claiming the invention too broadly increases the chances of infringing on other patents.
One of the many reasons why inventors claim their invention in this manner is that they are afraid of having their secret knowledge or procedure revealed. In any event, it is critical to clearly define the invention and prepare distinct and short claims to receive a patent award or grant.
Conclusion
Because it is a one-time procedure, the patent filing process should be thorough and timely. You cannot reverse the process once it has been initiated, which is why you should seek professional assistance to go through with acquiring a patent seamlessly.
