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The Complete Idiot's Guide To Cashing In On Your Inventions
by
Richard C Levy
Quality Paperback, 384 pages, 7 1/2 x 9 inches
Publisher: Alpha; ISBN: 0028642201; ©2002
Catalog#
2201-2
List price: $19.95
Our price: $17.95
You save: $2.00 (10%)
Take your idea all the
way to the bank! You're
no idiot, of course. You're aware that there are dishonest people ready
to exploit your creativity. Perhaps you have already been taken. It's
not easy to ferret out the snakes from the saints, and to learn to market
your own inventions.
This book will show you the
path to turn your brainstorm into a moneymaker -- with you as beneficiary!
In this Complete Idiot's Guide, you get:
Cutting-edge thinking-in plain English-on invention licensing.
Licensing, option, and nondisclosure agreements which alone could save
you thousands in legal fees.
Eye-opening ways to make prototypes and presentations.
How to tap a rich relative Uncle Sam-for money and help.
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What
others say about The Complete Idiot's Guide To Cashing In
On Your Inventions... |
"The
American Dream lives, and Richard is here with this great
book to
help inventors and entrepreneurs learn how to be a part of
it."
Donald
G. Kelly
Founding Director, Office of Independent
Inventor Programs, United States Patent Office
"Author
Levy is an inventor and writer, and thus uniquely qualified
to
clearly communicate his experiences -- good, bad and otherwise.
He was also a PR executive and producer, so he understands
and brings a great depth and breadth of experience to bear
on the subject of innovation and exploitation (in the positive
sense). Levy takes the novice inventor through the process
of bringing a product to market. Patent protection, licensing,
manufacturing, trademarks and other arcane subjects are handled
in a light, firm and positive manner. As is the custom with
this series, Levy's volume is sprinkled with icons, notes,
facts and quotes. It's a pleasant and positive book, well
organized and plainly written."
Miami
Herald Review
" Richard
knows thoroughly the most valuable aspect of any invention
- how to market it - and explains this in language that everyone
can understand."
Paul Harris
Publisher, Technology Business
" Richard
Levy is a modern day alchemist. He can heat up golden ideas
until they melt into rich reality."
Caspar Weinberger, Jr.
CEO, Abracadabra Music Corp.
" Richard
has been a master at inventing and marketing scores of successful
products during the more than 20 years that I
have known him."
Greg Hyman
inventor, Tickle Me Elmo
"Levy's
passion, work ethic, common sense and honest approach to
business
have given me new confidence. They are
contagious. This guy knows his stuff."
Brian, Atlanta,
GA
"An
unmatched resource. Comprehensive. Authoritative. Levy
gives stories, and the stories behind the
stories. Unrivaled, in my experience, in the careful attention
to critical topics, and in its honesty. I recommend this
book to anyone with an itch who needs timely and accurate
information."
Josh, Las Vegas, NV
" Written
and designed to offer concise, bite-sized units of useful
information, Levy's book belongs on the shelf of anyone
who considers him- or herself a 'creator.' ... Non-creative
vultures are circling, looking for people with ideas they
can exploit. Here's your weapon; you have only
yourself to blame if you don't take advantage of Levy's simple lessons."
John Michlig
author,
G.I. Joe: The Complete Story
of America's Favorite
Man of Action
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About
The Author |
Richard
C. Levy, simply put, is a marketing genius with a flair
for invention. In the past twenty years, he has licensed
over 125 products including Furby, and the best-selling
game "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus." Richard
holds more than 30 patents. This is his twelfth book. He
was profiled on
Discovery Channel's Invention series, and in interviews
with The New York Times, and The Washington Post. An MIT
Inventor-of-the-Week, Richard has spoken at Wharton's Entrepreneurship
Conference, IBM, and the USPTO's Independent Inventors
Conference, among other engagements. His products have
generated over $1 billion in combined retail sales.
 Richard
Levy and Ronald Weingartner have authored a new book focusing
on toy and game development...
The
Toy And Game Inventor's Handbook
Everything You Need To Know To Pitch, License And Cash-In
On Your Ideas
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The
Complete Idiot's Guide To Cashing In On Your Inventions
-- Table Of Contents --
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I. HOW TO
GET YOUR GREAT IDEAS ON THE ROAD.
1. How
to Realize Your Full Potential.
Overcoming
Naysayers. The First Pitch. America, the Land of Opportunity.
Answering the Call. Investing in Your Invention. Education Isn't
Everything. Levy's 10 Commandments for Success.
2. Beware of Invention Marketing Flimflam Artists.
Attack
of the Killer Patent Attorney. Flimsy Firms. Operation Mousetrap.
The Price Is Not Always Right. Inventors Awareness Group. A
Step in the Right Direction. What Comes After the Pitch. Heads
Up. Before You Contract for Services. Who Are These Parasites?
How to Tell the Pros from the Cons. New Twist to an Old Scheme.
How Do They Get Your Name? Profile of an Honest Broker. What
to Do if You Are a Victim. States (Inventor) Rights. How to
Find an Honest Broker.
3. Licensing vs. Venture Capital.
Business
Options. The Licensing Option. The Advantages of Licensing.
The Disadvantages of Licensing. Whooah, Not So Fast! Doing It
Yourself: The Venturing Strategy. Prerequisites Common to Licensing
and Venturing. Other Factors in Choosing a Commercialization
Strategy. Think About Costs, at All Costs. If You Are Still
Not Sure.
II. GETTING
HIGH MARKS.
4. How to
Find a Home for Your Brainchild.
Finding
a Licensing Partner. Attend Trade Shows. Conferences and Meetings:
Networking Meccas. Big Companies vs. Small Companies. So, What's
the Answer? Public Companies vs. Private Companies. Where to
Find Product and Corporate Profiles. Does the Shoe Fit?
5. Knock. Knock. Buy My Invention, Please!
First
Impressions. N.I.H. Syndrome. Choosing Your Target and Making
Your Mark. The Corporate Culture. Lookin' to Hook 'Em. Sign
on the Dotted Line.
6. How to Turn a Proposal into a Marriage.
Honesty
Is the Only Policy. You Should Hear a Pin Drop. The Three Ps.
Multiple Submissions. Unfavorable Odds. Your Champion.
7. How to Negotiate Your Deal.
On
Lawyering - One Man's Opinion. Should You Use a Lawyer to Approach
the Company? Do You Need a Lawyer for Contracts? Do You Need
a Lawyer for Patents? Conducting Business. Winning at What Cost?
Agreeing to Agree. Advances. Royalties. Guarantees. The Option
Agreement. Levy's 10 Commandments of Contract Negotiation. Terms
of Endearment. Patents. Trademarks. Who Pays?
8. Key Deal Points.
I Do
Not Have All the Answers. Show Me Yours, I'll Show You Mine.
Fairness and Flexibility Rule. Management by Objectives. The
Spirit of Agreement. Setting the Scene and the Mind.
III. GOIN'
FOR THE GOLD.
9. The
United States Patent and Trademark Office.
The
Big Three in IP. Keepin' a List and Checkin' It Twice. Definition
of a Patent. The Patent Law. What Is Patentable? The Examiners
(Say Ah!). Established by Law, Built by Innovation - The USPTO.
Only Inventors Need Apply. Copy Documents, Not Ideas, Please!
Disclosure Documents. Submarine Patents (Periscope Up!). Office
of Independent Inventor Programs. Coming Attractions.
10. It All Begins with a Patent Search.
Looking
for a Green Light. How to Conduct a Patent Search. Patent and
Trademark Depository Libraries. Electronic Databases. PTDL Publications.
Patent Search Steps. Patent Classification System. How to Order
Copies of Prior Art. What to Do with Your Search Results. Searching
Trademarks. The Last Word.
11. How to Hire a Patent Attorney.
Do
You Need a Patent Attorney? Is That Your Final Answer? Levy's
Rules for Hiring a Patent Attorney. Another Money Saver.
IV. UNCLE
SAM WANTS (TO HELP) YOU!
12. How
to Apply for a Utility Patent.
Provisional
Application for a Patent. Filing Date. Nonprovisional Application
for a Utility Patent. Models Not Generally Required. Solamente
Ingles, Por Favor. The Rules of the Game. I Do Solemnly Swear.
Patentability of Computer Programs. Just the Fax, Please.
13. Flower Power: How to Apply for a Plant Patent.
Interest
in Plant Patents, a Growing Business. Beyond the Garden Walls.
Who Can Apply for a Plant Patent? No Trespassing Patent-Protected
Grounds. Infringement. Turning to Trademarks. The Cost of Doing
Business. Making Application. Inquiries. Provisions and Limitations.
Inventorship. Asexual Reproduction. Helpful Hints.
14. How to Apply for a Design Patent.
Insurance
Against Me-Too Competitors. Form over Function. Putting the
Competition on Notice. Lawyers Need Not Apply. How to Find a
Draftsman. Design Patents Can Be Valuable. Defining Design.
Types of Designs and Modified Forms. Claims. Improper Subject
Matter for Design Patents. The Difference Between Design and
Utility Patents. Elements of a Design Patent Application. The
Preamble. The Figure Descriptions. A Single Claim. Drawings
or Photographs.
15. Mark Your Words.
There
Is Nothing Like a Brand, Nothing in the World. Trademarks Can
Take Many Forms. Dollars & Scents. Supreme Court Makes a
Colorful Decision. Lost in the Translation. United States Patent
and Trademark Office. Correspondence and Information. What Kinds
of Marks Are Available? Function of Trademarks. Do You Need
a Federal Trademark Registration? Marks Not Subject to Registration.
Registerable Marks. Searches for Conflicting Marks. Law Firm
Trademark Search. Professional Trademark Search. Do-It-Yourself
Trademark Search. Searching the USPTO via the Internet. Establishing
Trademark Rights. Terms of a Trademark. Types of Applications
for Federal Registration. Who May File an Application? Foreign
Applicants. Where to Send the Application and Correspondence.
Use of the TM, SM, and ® Symbols. Examination. Publication
for Opposition. Issuance of Certificate of Registration or Notice
of Allowance.
16. Securing Your Copy Rights.
Copyrights
They're Different The Copyright Office. What Would an Inventor
Copyright? How Do You Secure a Copyright? Who May File an Application?
Notice of Copyright. How Long Does Copyright Last? What Is Not
Protected By Copyright? Striking the Right CORDS. How to Submit
Registrations. In Search of Copyright Records. For Further Information.
How to Investigate the Copyright Status of a Work. Individual
Searches of Copyright Records. Application Forms.
17. I've Got a Secret.
In
the Court. Can Independent Inventors Have Trade Secrets? Uniform
Trade Secrets Act. Keep a Tight Lip.
18. Say, Ah! The Patent Examination Process at the USPTO.
First
Office Action. Your First Response. Final Rejection. Amending
Your Application. Time for Response and Abandonment. How to
Make Appeals. What Are Interference Proceedings? What Rights
Does a Patent Give You? Maintenance Fees. Can Two People Own
a Patent? Can a Patent Be Sold? Assignment of Patent Applications.
Infringement of Patents. To Sue or Not to Sue. Patent Enforcement
Insurance. Abandonment of Patents.
V. PEOPLE
WHO SHARE, PEOPLE WHO DARE.
19. Hidden
Treasures in Uncle Sam's High-Tech Closets.
National
Institute of Standards and Technology. Advanced Technology Program
(ATP). Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). In Search
of Innovation at USG Labs. Open for "Your" Business.
Department of Energy. Office of Industrial Technologies (OIT).
OIT Success Stories. Be Nice and Maybe You'll Get a Grant. DOE's
Inventions and Innovation (I & I) Program. Notable Achievements.
Small Business Administration. Small Business Innovation Research
(SBIR) Program. Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program.
Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC'S).
20. Yes, Inventors, There Is a Santa Claus.
An
Industry Overview. The Toys Legends Are Made From. New York
Toy Fair: A Networking Mecca. The Professional Edge. Questions
for Self-Analysis. A Degree in Toy Design. TIA Freebie. The
Hit Parade.
21. Inventor Organizations.
Expanding
Your Network. Care to Share? Inventor Organizations Thrive on
American Soil. Truth in Packaging Caveat Emptor. Take Your Pick.
Intellectual Property Owners (IPO). The Value of State and Local
Organizations.
VI. APPENDIXES.
Appendix
A. Agreements.
Appendix B. Resources.
Appendix C. Political Letter.
Index.
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How This Book Is Organized
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I
have designed this book to be a quick-access resource companion
to accompany
you throughout your journey from "What if?" to the deal and,
hopefully, to riches (though financial reward must not be the
only thing
that drives you).
The
sequence is a step-by-step blueprint for overcoming your fears,
building your confidence, taking pride
in your ideas,
adapting
to change, taking risks, and taking control.
Part
1 "How
to Get Your Great Ideas on the Road" shares
America's greatest traditions and visions as a center
of innovation and free enterprise,
home to the world's most prolific, daring, and successful inventors
and entrepreneurs. Through all the wit, color, and homespun
truth
I could muster, it asks you to look at yourself and realize that
on any given day your dream can come true. But for this
to happen,
you must have the "Dare to Go," know where to go, and what to
do when you get there.
The
most important part of this book appears in Part 1. It instructs
you in how avoid being ripped-off by carrion birds who toil
under
the guise of reputable invention marketing services. Part 1
helps you analyze whether it's better to license your invention
or
seek "adventure capital" and build a business.
By
the time you finish reading Part 1, if I have done my job well,
you will
have started to highlight parts of these pages
with a
yellow marker.
Part
2
"Getting High
Marks" assumes you have opted to go the licensing
route. If, however, you want to establish your own manufacturing
and
marketing operation, then take four giant steps to Part 3.
Part
2 explains how to find the right company for your invention,
get through the door, pitch the idea, and make a deal if you
are
fortunate enough to be afforded an opportunity. It's all about
the hunt!
Part
3 "Goin'
for the Gold" takes you to the U.S. Patent
and Trademark Office. Learn what makes it tick and how
you can take advantage
of its invaluable services. You'll also learn ways to conduct
a search for prior art.
It
wraps on a very important issue-how to hire competent patent
counsel.
Part
4 "Uncle
Sam Wants (to Help) You!" explains the different
kinds of IP protection -- e.g., utility patent, plant
patent, design
patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret. The information
is designed as a primer, not to take the place of a patent
counsel.
The final chapter in Part 4 takes you behind the scenes
at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a look at how
your application
will be handled.
Part
5
"People
Who Share, People Who Dare" Uncle Sam has
gone from being a principal customer of technology to
wanting to share its
technologies with private industry and build partnerships.
There is a smorgasbord of delicious opportunities for
you, and Chapter
19 is the appetizer. Chapter 20 gives you a primer on
the toy industry, one of the last great frontiers for
the entrepreneurial
inventor.
While
I can do nothing to alleviate patent fees, I can help reduce
your legal expenses. To that end,
I have
provided a confidential
nondisclosure form and a licensing agreement that you
can use as templates for your own transactions, potentially
saving
your
lawyer hours of work and you thousands of dollars.
(from
the book)
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The Complete Idiot's Guide To Cashing In On Your Inventions
Our price: $17.95
Catalog#
2201-2
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