How do you document your invention?
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How do you document your invention? Video Transcript
In this section I am going to talk about how does one document their invention. One is a lab notebook. You basically write down your thoughts, disclose how someone could make and use your invention on the conception date or shortly thereafter and have two witnesses sign the papers that disclose that invention and date that particular disclosure of that invention on that lab notebook. Save that lab notebook where it cannot be tampered with like in a safety deposit box, where it can be accessed, as soon as possible after conception to establish clearly your date of invention of your idea. The other way is the document disclosure program that the United States Patent Trademark Office has. You can use this program, if you look at the USPTO website or do a Goggle search of document disclosure program, we send your write up to the Patent Office who will store it and it helps establish the active conception date of your invention. The problem with this program is if you do not do anything after, within say two years I think is the limit, if you do not do anything within two years, that is file a full application, the Patent Office destroys those documents and they cannot later be produced. So it is usually not the best way to document invention but it is one avenue that you have if you later plan to file a provisional. The last way is to actually file a provisional patent application which discloses your idea and it actually establishes your place in line. The limitation of that is within one year, you have to file the full utility patent application, otherwise you lose the rights forever on anything that you covered on that provisional application. So those are some of the ways that you can document your idea and document your invention using the tools available that are accepted by the Patent Office. It has to be done very carefully. You have to make sure that the proof trail is very clear. Ideally there should be witnesses. The best way and the most common way is the lab notebook that is witnessed by two people and date stamped.