You hear them on late night television, newspapers and magazines, the radio and internet.

Their ad goes, “Hey inventor, call our toll free number and we’ll help you protect your idea and get rich quick”.

What do you really need to protect your invention?

Must you use an patent registration corporation to help you protect your invention?

If you’ve ever heard one of their compelling ads, they make it sound like you’d be batty not to.

But before you call that tollfree number, read on…

Some Companies Will Rip You Off

These companies earn their income from inventors just like you. But they only make money if you use them to help you protect your invention. If you don’t file, they don’t earn.

So the possibility exists that an unethical company will tell you what you want to hear so as to get you to disburse thousands of dollars to line their pockets. They feed off your enthusiasm and will urge you to cleafile and protect your invention by making exagerrated claims concerning its market potential.

Now, it’s not to say that your invention won’t make money, but no one could really tell you what your invention is worth.

The only way to know is to patent it, market it and then add up how much money you’ve made afterwards.

But the unethical will tell you that your invention stands to make you money  whether it does or not, and that any fees you incur now will be trivial by comparison.

Don’t Let Your Dreams Turn Into Nightmares

The problem is that many vulnerable inventors fall for it. They hire an invention submission company, disburse thousands of dollars, don’t get the clear protection they need and wind up with less than nothing in the end.

Make Sure You Work With A Reputable Company

Take time to choose.  For every invention submission company around, there are probably a dozen or more registered clearance practitioners. A clearance practitioner registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is bound to a code of ethics.  They risk being  put out of business if they don’t follow it.  So they’re unlikely to rip you off.  Talk to people you know and get referrals if you can.

If you can’t get a referral, interview a number of companies, and go with your gut reaction.  Choose someone you can trust.

Cover of Marketing Your Invention

Many businesses “help” inventors just like you to make money from their inventions. From filing a patent to licensing and marketing your invention, someone is ready to offer assistance – and take your money for their help.

Unfortunately, not all of this help is the kind you want. There are companies out there who exploit inventors brutally. It’s important not to get caught up in any of these scams.

What you need is a business with a good reputation which is licensed to help you patent your invention.

You need a patent attorney or a patent agent.

Both patent agents and attorneys are registered to experience before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. No one else is. Please take note of that. No one else may legally help you fill out the administration allied with filing for your patent. And you definitely don’t want anybody else to help you for this important part of your brainchild’s journey.

Remember, you want someone registered by the USPTO to help you file your patent. Don’t even consider speaking to someone else, even if they claim they will subcontract the processing of your application to a patent attorney or agent.

Middlemen Slow Things Down

You need to be in direct communication with the individual helping you to file your patent. Don’t let anybody else be your middleman. Gaining a patent is not a simple process. Your brainchild has completely different complexion than anything else out there. So you need to be able to talk directly about your ides with the attorney or agent.

While you can work over the phone,to face with the attorney or broker is best. Therefore, try to find one an easy distance where you are located. Although it can work, a long distance relationship will probably only strain the process.

How To Choose your Agent

The best way to choose a patent practitioner (patent broker or patent attorney) is through word of mouth.

You may want to join a local inventors club.

Make Use of USPTO’s Data

You can also search the USPTO’s list of registered patent practitioners or even just use their database to audit your potential patent practitioner’s credentials.

Any individual listed on the USPTO’s site will be registered to experience patent law. They must also meet ethical standards and can be disbarred for complaints.