Patent applications

[Ponda]

Hey,
Has anyone here, applied for, or been granted patents?
I have been looking into it for an idea of mine but have found that unless you know what your doing it's a bit of a mine field.

I am looking into world wide patents and the prices for applying in NZ is about $10,000. Yet when you look on a US site they charge about $us200 (from memory).

The 10k doesn't include patent lawyers (do you need one?) which will put the price up considerably.

It also appears that the application needs to be loose enough to encompass all of the processes and also ensure that copy cats can't just change one component and make the idea theirs but tight enough to make the IP your own. (I know what I mean )

I think that this is an interesting topic for all to learn from but anyone wants to remain confidential and wants to PM please do so.

Thanks

[BIRMANBOY]

Patent Attorneys in the US wouldnt p**s on your shoe for $200 so I doubt whether you"ll get any mileage out of that website apart from a request to send money, and then a bit more for additional research, and then a bit more for unforseen obstacle clearing etc.etc.

Hey,
Has anyone here, applied for, or been granted patents?
I have been looking into it for an idea of mine but have found that unless you know what your doing it's a bit of a mine field.

I am looking into world wide patents and the prices for applying in NZ is about $10,000. Yet when you look on a US site they charge about $us200 (from memory).

The 10k doesn't include patent lawyers (do you need one?) which will put the price up considerably.

It also appears that the application needs to be loose enough to encompass all of the processes and also ensure that copy cats can't just change one component and make the idea theirs but tight enough to make the IP your own. (I know what I mean )

I think that this is an interesting topic for all to learn from but anyone wants to remain confidential and wants to PM please do so.

Thanks

[CJ]

$200 per hour maybe and that would be on the cheap end of town.

Go to a NZ expert as you risk getting a cowboy if you try to find a cheap US outfit.

I think AJ Park are the top firm in this area in NZ.

[elZorro]

Are you sure you need international or PCT coverage? If you get a NZ patent no-one else can patent the same idea overseas, so if you're first mover you can still sell manufacturing/distribution rights, or try to cover the world markets first. Don't forget that for a consumer product, you have to make it for 1/3 or less of what it will sell for (including labour), and the development costs could easily reach $100k-$300k for the tooling etc and prototyping costs, refinement. Hope you have deep pockets. Bigger firms will only move on about 10% of their ideas, they apply these rules first. Find the market, check carefully, then make the product to suit the market. The big firms already have 20 yrs+ of sales channels ready, and have a better idea what will sell. It's very hard for a startup.

[Ponda]

Hey guys, thanks for your replies...I have been REALLY tardy and busy so have put a few things on the back burner while other things have taken over the front burners.
After having done a truckload of research around the whole patent thing, it seems that there is no way that you can fully protect yourself in this world. All someone has to do is take your idea and slightly change it and they are able to use it.
Another huge cost is Policing it. Once you are in the market and someone uses your idea you have to a) find out that they are using it, b) find that person in some farflung corner of the world, c) sue them etc, etc all the time gobbling up money.....
So you are probably better off having first mover advantage, and having better product.......hopefully come December 1st this year, I will know how good the product is....
Exciting times ahead....