New Business Guide for Missouri Inventors

In Missouri, you can find assistance from the Small Business Administration, Minority Development Administration, and local government agencies that can help you start a business. These agencies have resources for small business owners at all stages of their ventures, including identifying existing patents, searching for similar ideas, and determining whether or not your invention is patentable. If your idea is patentable, you can seek federal financial assistance and apply for a patent.

Applying for a patent before publicly demonstrating an invention

Before making public demonstrations of your invention, apply for a patent. In the US, a one-year grace period is allowed. However, this period is not always available in other countries. Rules vary from country to country and some grace periods apply only in certain circumstances. Depending on the country, your grace period can range from six months to 12 months. Moreover, it may be necessary to file a provisional application before making public demonstrations of your invention.

As a rule, inventors should file patent applications as early as possible, especially in rapidly developing fields of technology. This is to protect their inventions against being discovered by others before theirs. If they publicly demonstrate or offer their inventions before filing a patent application, this later disclosure will be considered prior art and liable to be cited as non-novel. Furthermore, if you do not file your patent application before publicly demonstrating your invention, you may lose your chance to protect your invention.

It is important to note that, in the United States, the “first to file” system is used. This system protects inventors who made public demonstrations before the 16th March 2013. However, third parties’ disclosures are also considered prior art, but these disclosures have to be made more than twelve months before the date of filing. Thus, it is vital to demonstrate that your invention was invented before the third party.

It is important to remember that disclosing your concept prior to filing a patent application will make it much easier for others to copy your ideas. If you’re worried about your idea getting stolen, you should use a non-disclosure agreement to keep your invention confidential. This agreement will serve as proof of your non-public disclosure of your invention. Non-disclosure agreements can be customized to suit your particular needs. In addition, they may include references to who owns improvements.

Searching for existing patents

If you want to protect your new invention, you can search for existing patents. To do this, you can search for patents using the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) system. This system arranges patents in hierarchical categories according to type and subject. You can search for your specific invention with CPC, even if it’s in a different field than yours.

There are several ways to search for existing patents in Missouri. You can search the USPTO’s public search facility, which has trained staff available to help you find patents. You can also search in your state’s Patent and Trademark Resource Center, which has local patent search resources and provides training on proper search techniques. The Electronic Official Gazette is another great resource for finding patents. You can browse patents by type and classification.

The USPTO’s public database contains patents issued since 1976. You can search for these patents using the Patent Number, Issue Date, and Current U.S. Classification. This will exclude earlier inventions, which will have to be searched in pre-1975 databases. If your invention is older, you need to find out which classification it belongs to and search that database. You can also use Google to search for patents. However, its search elements are limited compared to those offered by charged patent search engines, and you’ll need to know the patent terminology to use it effectively.

A comprehensive search will provide you with an accurate assessment of whether your invention has been patented before. If it has, you can determine whether to file a patent application or not. Prior art searches are also an essential part of the patent filing process, since they will help you draft your application. By comparing relevant patents, you will get an idea if your invention has an exceptional chance of being awarded a patent.

Government agencies that can assist you

As a Missouri inventor, it is important to protect your idea. Patenting an idea ensures that you can protect it from others’ unauthorized use, ensuring that you and your product will remain an exclusive property of your company. A patent can be used for any product or process developed by you, even if you’re not making a profit yet. The Missouri government has many agencies and programs that can help you get started with your new business.