Legal Question in Business Law in New York

Is it possible to patent an idea? I have a few ideas based on current technology that would create numerous markets to produce hardware and software to create these sytems. I neither have the monetary means or the educational backround to even imagine how to engineer or creat these products but as a consumer of these types of products that are in common usage today, I know that I'd purchase and subscribe to the services myself.

I don't know that these products are not currently uder developement, but after some research I can find no trace of these ideas in developement.

My questions is how could I protect these ideas while making certain that the date of their conception was the date I had them oficially stamped by a government agaency ie: the U.S. Postal service. Would mailing a sealed enevlope to myself ensure the authenticity of the ideas conception and the party that conceived it?


Asked on 4/16/11, 3:15 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Edward Hoffman Law Offices of Edward A. Hoffman

Ideas cannot be patented. If you invent a novel way to carry out that idea, you may be able to patent the invention. This does not mean you must actually build your invention, but it does mean you need fairly specific designs. (There are a few things that can be patented besides new inventions, but they seem to be beyond the scope of your question.)

Even if you have a patentable invention, mailing a copy of the design to yourself will not protect your rights.

If you think you have an invention worth patenting, meet with a local patent attorney. This site is no substitute for such consultations.

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Answered on 4/16/11, 4:11 pm


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