WOOT! I may get a patent for my invention!

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DropkickMurphy

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I just got an e-mail from a patent attorney I am working with that informed me that we have made it past the preliminary stages of getting a patent on a device I invented for mountain climbers to help prevent or minimize the development of high altitude pulmonary edema. :) :thumbup: :D I'm ecstatic.....I can't believe it. Once the patent goes through I'll be able to start doing the testing on the device to see if really works at altitude; it's only worked on paper and does what it should at my altitude (about 600 ft ASL). :thumbup: Woo-hoo!!!!!! :luck:

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Praetorian said:
I just got an e-mail from a patent attorney I am working with that informed me that we have made it past the preliminary stages of getting a patent on a device I invented for mountain climbers to help prevent or minimize the development of high altitude pulmonary edema. :) :thumbup: :D I'm ecstatic.....I can't believe it. Once the patent goes through I'll be able to start doing the testing on the device to see if really works at altitude; it's only worked on paper and does what it should at my altitude (about 600 ft ASL). :thumbup: Woo-hoo!!!!!! :luck:

Awesome. Hopefully it works at high altitude. That would be a very interesting EC to put down on your AMCAS.
 
Congrats!

I'm clueless about inventions and patents. Do you need something tangible in order to get a patent? Is an idea on paper sufficient?

Like, say someone had a great idea on a new imaging device or something but is a college student with cardboard, t-shirts, and nuts and bolts as supplies. Is the idea a waste?
 
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According to the attorney I am working with, it depends on what you are dealing with. In my case, the fact that it didn't hurt the person (me) that I tested it on, and it obtained the parameters that the calculations said it would, that is sufficient for the patent. So I would suggest you talk to a patent attorney about your idea.
 
Dallenoff said:
Congrats!

I'm clueless about inventions and patents. Do you need something tangible in order to get a patent? Is an idea on paper sufficient?

Like, say someone had a great idea on a new imaging device or something but is a college student with cardboard, t-shirts, and nuts and bolts as supplies. Is the idea a waste?

an idea in many cases is sufficient...it's called a paper patent. we were just discussing this in a medicinal chemistry class i'm taking where you can patent a drug molecule based on theoretical synthesis without even making the actual molecule.
 
i am currently typing this post from my room at the US patent office :)
 
you don't need a working model or experimental results to get a patent...just an idea w/drawings, specifications...
 
questions for the OP:

how much $$ did it take for you to file the patent (along with attorney),

and how long does it take to process the request through US Patent Office.?
 
Well the attorney is a family friend so he is not charging me his normal rate, but a flat fee of $250. I believe the fee for filing will be something like $400 but I am not 100% certain of that, as it's been several months since I looked at the information I have on it.
 
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crazy_cavalier said:
how long does it take to process the request through US Patent Office.?

THAT can take a while. I have a couple of patents from my former career, and one took about a year from start to awarding of the patent. The other took almost three years. I think it depends on what you are claiming in your patent. Also, if there are devices/ideas that may be similar, it can take a while to determine if it is indeed an original.

Oh, and remember, it's ultimately part of the U.S. bureaucracy. It can take forever just by the nature of that particular beast.

Also, congrats! Definitely add it to your AMCAS. It provides good material to talk about on interviews.

racerx
 
Praetorian said:
I just got an e-mail from a patent attorney I am working with that informed me that we have made it past the preliminary stages of getting a patent on a device I invented for mountain climbers to help prevent or minimize the development of high altitude pulmonary edema. :) :thumbup: :D I'm ecstatic.....I can't believe it. Once the patent goes through I'll be able to start doing the testing on the device to see if really works at altitude; it's only worked on paper and does what it should at my altitude (about 600 ft ASL). :thumbup: Woo-hoo!!!!!! :luck:

Congrats on the patent....

I am working on a patent application as well. I have a BS in EE and the patent is for heating device. (I know it is going to be a HIT.) Nothing to do with healthcare.

Let me ask you something....Do I have to have a patent attorney? (From my initial looks at the process...it seems like I do). How much could this end of costing (attorney costs and all...)

I plan to use the royalties to finance my medical education. (I am telling you, I know i have a good thing on my hand...)
 
Congrats and good luck.

BTW, here's one of my favorite patents:

US Patent # 5,443,036 -- A method for inducing cats to exercise consists of directing a beam of invisible light produced by a hand-held laser apparatus onto the floor or wall or other opaque surface in the vicinity of the cat, then moving the laser so as to cause the bright pattern of light to move in an irregular way fascinating to cats, and to any other animal with a chase instinct.
 
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GujjuNo1 said:
I plan to use the royalties to finance my medical education. (I am telling you, I know i have a good thing on my hand...)
Care to share the wealth? Or can I at least get a free one of your inventions? :laugh:

I don't think I will sell a lot of my creation, that is unless I can find more mainstream application that mountain climbers...
 
ed2brute said:
Congrats and good luck.

BTW, here's one of my favorite patents:

US Patent # 5,443,036 -- A method for inducing cats to exercise consists of directing a beam of invisible light produced by a hand-held laser apparatus onto the floor or wall or other opaque surface in the vicinity of the cat, then moving the laser so as to cause the bright pattern of light to move in an irregular way fascinating to cats, and to any other animal with a chase instinct.

:laugh: That's pretty ridiculous that someone would want to patent that, but not as ridiculous as the fact that the US government granted them a patent for it. It's so vague too, it seems like to patent something, the description would need to be more specific.
 
ed2brute said:
Congrats and good luck.

BTW, here's one of my favorite patents:

US Patent # 5,443,036 -- A method for inducing cats to exercise consists of directing a beam of invisible light produced by a hand-held laser apparatus onto the floor or wall or other opaque surface in the vicinity of the cat, then moving the laser so as to cause the bright pattern of light to move in an irregular way fascinating to cats, and to any other animal with a chase instinct.


hilarious.. I guess you just try to patent everything. Looks like I owe that person a lot of money because my cats love it.


=)
 
Praetorian, I offer you my congratulations. I hope it all works out for you. :D
 
GujjuNo1 said:
Congrats on the patent....

I am working on a patent application as well. I have a BS in EE and the patent is for heating device. (I know it is going to be a HIT.) Nothing to do with healthcare.

Let me ask you something....Do I have to have a patent attorney? (From my initial looks at the process...it seems like I do). How much could this end of costing (attorney costs and all...)

I plan to use the royalties to finance my medical education. (I am telling you, I know i have a good thing on my hand...)

While you don't per se need a patent attorney, the drafting and prosecution is somewhat of an art form, and if you want to actually end up with a patent and don't already know what you are doing, you would be well advised to get one. It also saves you a lot of headaches to have someone do the patent search for you to make sure that what you have developed is adequately unique and novel - a very significant number of people who go to attorneys seeking to patent something find out that they have "re-invented" something somebody else already patented.
 
Holy crap that's cool. Great job!
 
Law2Doc said:
While you don't per se need a patent attorney, the drafting and prosecution is somewhat of an art form, and if you want to actually end up with a patent and don't already know what you are doing, you would be well advised to get one. It also saves you a lot of headaches to have someone do the patent search for you to make sure that what you have developed is adequately unique and novel - a very significant number of people who go to attorneys seeking to patent something find out that they have "re-invented" something somebody else already patented.


This means, I should get a lawyer. I don't know what I am doing when it comes to patents. I plan to contact my undergrad professors (i know my school used to help students with patents and stuff) and see what they advice.
 
In my research you need to get an attorney. The final cost seems to be $2k-$5K, including filing fees, depending on how complicated the patent is. If you try and do it yourself there is a good chance that you will end up with a patent that competitors can easily circumvent. I have filed a provisional patent application. This only cost $100 and gives you a year to file the formal application. I wanted to get my invention on the market as soon as possible. If it isn't a rush the provisional application isn't necessary. My invention isn't medically related either, but hopefully it will help finance my medical education :) Traveling Toddler
 
db1 said:
In my research you need to get an attorney. The final cost seems to be $2k-$5K, including filing fees, depending on how complicated the patent is. If you try and do it yourself there is a good chance that you will end up with a patent that competitors can easily circumvent. I have filed a provisional patent application. This only cost $100 and gives you a year to file the formal application. I wanted to get my invention on the market as soon as possible. If it isn't a rush the provisional application isn't necessary. My invention isn't medically related either, but hopefully it will help finance my medical education :) Traveling Toddler

On the interview trail I've seen many a harried parent that could have used this. Nice work! :thumbup:
 
Great work, Praetorian!!!!
There are lots of mountain climbers in Colorado-- let me know if I can help in any way!!!
 
Welcome to the club.

Hopefully your invention will get final approval sooner than mine did.

All in all it took two years but it was worth it.
 
Asherlauph said:
Great work, Praetorian!!!!
There are lots of mountain climbers in Colorado-- let me know if I can help in any way!!!
Thanks, I'm going to try to get a high altitude research center to let me use their altitude chamber. I also have several friends in Colorado who climb, including one whom I am going climbing with this summer. :thumbup:
 
Bump..

Does anyone here know the steps to applying for a patent? Any good websites?
 
When I did it i got a patent lawyer to do a patent search done then had him file a patent. Cost a pretty penny and will take years and years to figure out.
 
I am closing this thread because it is several years old and bumped to ask a question which is off-topic for this forum (pre-allopathic, admissions etc).

It is good to do a search before creating your own thread, but in this case the topic of patents pretty much have nothing to do with this forum.

Please do not start threads about patents or other off-topic issues, additionally I would request you do not bump old threads.
 
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