Registering patents

damo101

Hi,
anyone have any idea's on how to register patents and whats involved? Have something i'd like to register, but clear and easy to understand information is hard to come across. It seems that you have to pay £130 to the patent office for them to do a search to check that the idea is original - is it possible to this before submitting the idea (so that I know i wont be throwing away £130 in case my idea isn't as unique as I thought)?
Thanks in advance and any other suggestions or info would be greatly appreciated!

Damo

skylight

It depends on whether your idea is completely new or a "re-vamp" of a current or old product.

If its completely new, you can put in a patent request - but just because you think its new, someone else may have come up with the idea years ago!!!

Whether or not some else thought of it years ago, only by paying the patent office will you ever find out!

You can't patent an item thats a "re-vamp" or a current product.

And steer clear of those gastly companies that tell your your item is fantasitc - just what they are looking for and can patent it and market it for a "sum" of money"

Alan Sugar used to have a slot in the mirror and went on about this all the time - there may be information on their website, or does Alan have his own???

Savvy_Sue

I think if you search within this board you will find earlier discussions about patents and some other useful links. Good luck!