Inventors are people who develop new ideas, products or processes and then patent them. An invention is actually a novelty or special device, process, composition, or machine. The inventor usually invents it in the name of someone else or tries to claim it as his/her own idea. The invention process involves a systematic process, from concept to first manufacture and testing, and is usually a time-consuming process.
There are many different ways to obtain protection for inventions. The USPTO can provide advice on how to get protection for inventions. This service can be provided free of charge or for a fee. A number of inventors choose to file their inventions themselves and the USPTO services can be used to assist them in doing this.
Many inventors work with a patent lawyer to prepare the proper patentability statement, which is an overview of the invention and the claimed invention. Once this is submitted to the USPTO, it must be reviewed by the agency. The USPTO makes these reviews infrequently and the reviews are not covered here.
There are two factors that determine whether the invention is patentable. First, the invention must be new and not obvious in view of what others have done previously. Second, the product or technology involved must serve some important purpose for which the product cannot be competently manufactured or provided without the aid of the invention. If the second factor is not present, then the invention may not be patentable.
Many famous inventors may have their inventions come under a number of classifications. One of the most famous is the washing machines and dryers invention by John Grace. Other appliances that were patented included electric lights and the electric bulb. In the past fifty years or so we have seen many more inventions on the rise, including personal digital assistants, digital cameras, medical diagnostic devices, televisions, cellular phones, and wireless devices. It is not hard to see why there is such a huge demand for creative thinkers to bring ideas to market.
The next time you look into inventions and how they should be evaluated you will find that women inventors outnumber men three to one. Women often seek other forms of financial support to support their inventions while men seek protection from their employers. However, it is interesting to note that men are much more likely to file a patent with the USPTO. It seems as though men are just more risk adverse and take more risks when it comes to inventive risks. This may impact on women’s ability to obtain patent protection for their inventions.