← Inventors Insider: 7 Things to Do Before Filing a Patent

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By Marcia Wade Talbert | Published July 28, 2010 | Full size is 450 × 330 pixels

1) Determine if you have something that is patentable by doing your own research. Search USPTO.gov, Google.com/patents, or any other online resource to find out if there is something like your invention already out there. To be patentable you need to have an invention that is considered novel—that means new--and non-obvious. The standard for obviousness is whether your invention would occur or be obvious to a person of ordinary skill in your industry. “If you see the identical invention out there, you can stop there,” says Evans. “There is no point in filing for a patent if you don’t have something that is patentable.”

1) Determine if you have something that is patentable by doing your own research. Search…