When you are ready to review your invention, here is a checklist to help you provide the information and materials that will be helpful for an initial meeting. Do not worry if you do not have everything listed – it is better to get some advice at an early stage to start out on the right foot.
- What is your invention and how does it work?
– Drawings or a prototype are helpful, but not required - What is the problem solved by your invention?
- How do prior approaches fail to solve this problem, or how does your invention solve the problem in a better way?
- What similar ideas or products are you aware of?
- Have you done any preliminary patent searching?
– If yes, please bring copies of relevant documents or a list of patent numbers - Did you work with anyone else to develop the invention?
- Who came up with the idea for the invention, and when?
- Have you told anyone about the invention?
– If yes, when? - Have any details of the invention been published, or have you given any demonstrations of the invention?
– If yes, when and where? - Have you started selling the invention?
– If yes, when? - Are or were any of the people working on the invention located in a foreign country?
– If yes, which country(ies)? - Are or were any of the people working on the invention employees of the federal government, including serving in the military or reserves?