Have you ever completed an invention and wanted to know the best way to patent it? This kind of dilemma is extremely common; you work hard to come up with a new device, only to find that similar devices already exist. I am a Registered Patent Attorney and I have helped people in your situation resolve this problem. In this article I am going to explain 1) why it is important to know what is patentable and 2) how to determine what is patentable.
As I explained in another article, the patent system is a compromise with the government, where the inventor explains how to make and use the invention in exchange for obtaining a limited right to prevent others from making and using the device for a limited period of time. This raises the issue of what the inventors need to disclose to the public, and what they want to keep as a trade secret. Knowing what is patentable removes some of that mystery; the inventors do not need to disclose everything they know. Rather, they only need to disclose what they want to patent. An excellent patent attorney can help you determine what to patent.
Patent attorneys create a patentability opinion by completing a prior art search, and comparing that to all of the materials the inventors provide about the invention. From that comparison, the patent attorney points out features that have not yet been claimed and determine which of those are most likely to be patentable. The inventors can use that information to choose which claims to patent and which claims to keep as a trade secret.
The Law Office of Michael O’Brien can perform a patentability opinion for $1,500. If you have purchased a simple or comprehensive search, then that amount can be credited toward the patentability opinion cost.