If someone has a good IDEA

[Simpleton]

If some one (accidentialy of course) is coming up with a good idea, how can he be sure that passing it on will be of benefit to him and his (potentialy) in poverty living family.

[ajb]

I don't think one can guarantee anything.

 

If one has an invention then getting a patent will give one rights. However, this does not guarantee that the invention could be made into a product that will sell well.

 

Do you have something a little more specific in mind? I am not sure how processes and techniques stand in patent law. I am sure someone here will know more that I do.

[Simpleton]

Thanks ajb

With this variety of all kinds of people from incredibly smart and knowlegible to incredibly imaginative to anything else one can think of, I feel that there must be a conciderable amount that feels that they may have a good idea and are afraid to pass it on simply becouse they feel that they can't afford doing it if there possibly once in a livetime chance to have something gives them nothing by doing so. I could not exclude my self from that regardless of wether or not I have a potentially good idea.

[Mr Skeptic]

Unfortunately, many of these "good ideas" end up being terrible ideas. In that case, asking us rather than trying to patent it would save them about $700 or whatever patents cost these days. Of course if it really was a good idea, and hadn't yet been patented, they might lose out on it.

[ewmon]

Disclosing an idea/invention on a public forum is the same as giving it away free to the world.

 

Most people don’t fully understand the full consequences of obtaining a patent. A patent is an exclusive right for an invention granted by a government to the inventor for a limited period of time in exchange for disclosing it to the public (for the purpose of furthering technology) instead of keeping it a trade secret. This means that everyone in the world has access to all patents and can infringe upon them. It is then up to the inventor to pursue legal action against such patent infringers, which involves some/much effort and expense.

 

For this reason, these companies that help inventors patent their ideas are actually of uncertain value to the inventor unless s/he has the means/money/time to pursue patent infringers. Also, I would say that, most inexperienced or first-time inventors come up with ideas that are already patented, so these companies are automatically a waste of money. It’s very important to take the time to research the current and pending patents thoroughly before applying for one. And it’s easy if you know what you’re doing. For example, the US Patent Office is online, so it’s super easy to search for patents.

 

Also, instead of patenting, you could network with people and companies who might buy your ideas and use them. For example, selling the design of a 100-mpg carburetor to an automaker. You can negotiate a fixed price (eg, $10,000), or royalties (eg, $1/item made or sold), or some balance of the two (eg, $5,000 plus $0.50/item). A balance seems the safest to me because you still get paid some if the invention is a flop, and you get paid more if it’s a success. However, I would guess that many companies would want to simply buy it outright from you, because they don’t want the hassle of paying royalties and opening up their books to you (to prove how many items they made/sold). They may also want to modify your idea to the point where it’s a different enough that it’s a different patent and so they don’t have to pay you royalties — and they don’t want the hassle of getting sued because you think they’ve infringed on your patent.

 

Be sure ahead of time to have your ideas well-documented and dated and reviewed and witnessed and signed by trusted engineers or scientists in the appropriate industry. Then begin putting out feelers to the appropriate companies. Beware of unscrupulous businesses or businessmen who may reject your idea but then turn around and use it or something very similar to it. You need some sort of proprietary information disclosure agreement to protect your ideas. Inventing things is exciting, but anyone wanting to make use of their inventions or to make money from them needs to understand all about it.

[Simpleton]

Taking all of the above under consideration says to me.

Any idea, be it something extremely useful to everybody, or something that only a cerain variety or group would wont or like is (more often then not) of no use or benefit to the one having the idea.

A potentialy good idea or any idea may be a long way from the output of a final or best product. In some instances, many products. That appears barbaric and not fair, in any way shape or form. Without the idea then, there will not be a product at all.

That seams stupid.

[ewmon]

If someone has an invention for a product that can't be made and sold directly, then the inventor would need to sell it to, or partner with, someone who can make and/or sell it.

 

This works with all sorts of things. If I live in a desert and inherit a boat, neither I nor anyone around me can use it, so I sell it to a dealer who then finds a buyer, or I partner with a dealer who sells it on commission.

 

If you can think of a better system, then you can write a book on it and get rich!

[Simpleton]

Thank you dewmon

Hope I did not make you get a sore arm or bruised forehead from slapping it for so long and often.