subject: Can You Patent Ideas? [print this page] If you believe you have one of the greatest concepts in history, you've probably considered and thought about ways to patent ideas. You want to protect your ideas from stealing or another person claiming your idea as his own. You begin to marvel whether there is a law that can secure the idea you have in mind.
Unfortunately, there is no law that will actually protect your idea. Patenting your ideas is not entailed in the intellectual property law because patent protects inventions and copyright protects expressions. If what you have is a plain idea that is not embodied in a concrete material or invention, it cannot be patented.
You should not worry about your great idea; you can still have it patented once you have a concrete embodiment of it through an invention. Some people really get stuck with the idea phase, but the real test to an interesting mind is whether the idea can become an asset that may be protected by law. The only way that an idea can generate you profits is when people can essentially appreciate and avail it by buying it. Before you begin to worry on how to patent ideas, you must first find ways that can solidify the thoughts you have in mind.
You should know that developing concepts and ideas is the first critical step in coming up with an invention. This is why you should not lose hope with your ideas. You have to start working your way to making your idea come to life. A lot of people have great and interesting ideas, but not all of them are able to place these ideas in a package that is viable for patenting. Create a game plan whose objective is to carry out the idea you wish to be patented. It is best to experiment on your material to make sure that it is working the way you thought it to be. Do not be disheartened by failures; even the greatest investors had experienced failing in their crafts.
You already know that you cannot legally patent ideas, but you should note that you can use a way to protect them. One way to protect an idea is to have someone sign a confidentiality agreement. This agreement stipulates that the other party will not make use of your idea without your consent or permission. You should know that this is not a form of intellectual property right; it is only a contract between you and an individual. In any case that this individual doesn't live up to his promise, you can sue him for breaching your contract.
Remember that you cannot really patent ideas, but there is indeed a way to protect them.
