HACKER Q&A
📣 simonebrunozzi

Easiest Way to Patent an Idea?


I have been tinkering with an idea related to spam (as in, how to reduce/remove spam), and I'd like to explore the possibility of patenting it.

I have no familiarity with the system, and would love if any of you can shed some light on how to proceed with it, and what pitfalls to avoid.

My goals is not necessarily to minimize the cost of patenting it, but rather making it simple, straightforward, and the least time consuming.

Thanks in advance for any help!

p.s. If you have a personal story to share on something you patented, please do so!

  👤 mytailorisrich Accepted Answer ✓
The simplest, least time consuming for you, and probably safest in terms of result, would probably be the way it works when your employer patents something that you've been working on as an employee (which is my experience): Hire a lawyer.

Process in a company goes along the following lines:

A specialised lawyer is hired. You write a document describing your invention. The lawyer reads it. You present it to them, they ask questions and take notes. They draft a patent, may ask you some questions along the way. They go through the draft with you. There may be a couple of iterations. If all is OK they apply.

A lawyer knows how to draft a patent in order to have it granted while maximising its coverage: A patent really is a legal document so the wording can have a big impact on its value, it should be clear but as wide and general as possible.