| No find No fee is a new concept in the patent | | | | application. |
| search industry. It means that if the search does | | | | OK - So before you do that, you want to make |
| not produce evidence that your idea is not new | | | | sure that your patent is new and will get |
| you don't pay for the service... | | | | approved, assuming you can raise the funds and |
| Yes, that's right, it's FREE. Let's examine that | | | | execute the complicated procedure. It would be |
| again.... | | | | devastating if your application is denied after you |
| As most of us, you are driving your car, drinking | | | | spent all that time and money just because |
| your coffee, taking a shower, etc and then it hits. | | | | someone else already thought about your idea |
| Your busy mind just stumbled across something | | | | before. |
| which solves a real need. Let's assume a device | | | | So, you set out to do a patent search.... |
| that is activated by foot which closes the flow of | | | | You start by yourself. Between you, Google and |
| water in your tap. The purpose of which is to | | | | the USPTO (United States Patent Office) you get |
| save the water that are wasted while brushing | | | | the basics covered. Assuming you did not find |
| teeth, shaving, washing dishes, etc, etc, etc. | | | | similar publications or patents you now decide to |
| This new idea you just had, brings real value to | | | | move to the next level. |
| the community, the environment. It resolves a | | | | Most patent lawyers will charge you thousands of |
| real need. It is really new and innovative. | | | | dollars to execute your search. But wait!!! Now we |
| What do you do.... | | | | come full circle to my initial paragraph of this |
| Usually NOTHING, you just keep living your life, | | | | article. At you can have your search done for |
| forget about it, and maybe bring it up in a | | | | just a few hundred dollars. Not only that, but if |
| conversation or two with friends over drinks. And | | | | your idea is new, you will NOT pay for the search |
| don't tell me that this exact scenario never | | | | and you can now move forward with raising the |
| happened to you... | | | | needed funds and submitting your patent |
| In the real world, in order to capitalize on such | | | | application. |
| invention, the first item on your plate is to | | | | This is quite genius if you think about it. If your |
| protect your idea using a patent in the various | | | | patent is not new, you can let it go for a small |
| countries. Let's assume that you plan on using the | | | | payment of a few hundred dollars. Now finally you |
| standard way of a world wide PCT patent | | | | can clear your head and continue to your next big |
| application. | | | | idea. |
| As soon as you said PCT patent application you | | | | If your idea is new, you are not charged for the |
| are now looking at over $100K of money in cost | | | | search and you now have an official patent |
| and many months (probably years) of full time | | | | search report, performed by experienced industry |
| hard work, just to get your new patent reviewed | | | | engineers and professionals. This report is crusial |
| in the various countries. | | | | for raising the funds and prove to other parties |
| Even if you scale down your ambitious plan and | | | | that your idea is really new. Now you can take |
| decide to file only in the US you are looking at | | | | your idea to the next level, knowing that you did |
| over $20K and several months of hard work | | | | a major step in the process of capitalizing on your |
| preparing, submitting and defending your | | | | new idea. |