How to prevent an engineer from stealing your idea?
To prevent an engineer from stealing your idea, you need to have them sign a nondisclosure agreement. The nondisclosure agreement requires the engineer to keep your idea or invention secret. If the engineer were to file a patent application, that’s a breach of the nondisclosure agreement because the patent application would eventually be made public. […]
How to prevent a manufacturer from stealing your idea?
When dealing with a company to manufacture your product, they could steal your idea. They could file a patent application on their own or commercialize your idea or invention. This article will discuss two ways (i.e., contract and patent application) to prevent the manufacturer from stealing your idea. Use a nondisclosure agreement, independent contractor agreement, […]
Nondisclosure Agreements and other basic agreements
A nondisclosure agreement and other basic agreements protect you before you start marketing your invention. These basic agreements protect you against unauthorized use such as copying by designers, engineers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. https://youtu.be/nuxUIqr7avE The NDA and other basic agreements protect you by forcing them to keep your invention secret as you ramp up to […]
Can Multiple People Own a Patent?
Patents allow people and companies to claim ideas and inventions as their own. Nevertheless, it is quite confusing and tricky when multiple entities are involved. Disagreements can and do arise between the owners. You need to know how to address these potential pitfalls. Can multiple people own a patent? Yes, but we do not recommend […]
Losing Invention Rights When Hiring or Collaborating with Others
You thought you made the right choice involving an independent contractor or even your friends and family in the collaboration of your invention. It turns out that when you share your invention with others, you risk reducing the value of your invention rights. Why does this happen? The core issue is ownership. Who owns the invention […]
Patent Assignments for Independent Contractors
Patent rights initially vest with the person that conceives of the invention. For example, if a company hires an independent contractors, patent rights initially vest with the independent contractor. If the company hiring the independent contractor wants to exploit the invention, the company must acquire the patent rights from the independent contractor through an assignment. […]
Avoid Problems: Get an Invention Assignment Agreement
Companies owns invention rights by one of three ways from employees. A formal Invention Assignment Agreement is typically executed when the employee begins employment. The Agreement assigns certain inventions of the employee to the company. Invention rights can also be acquired by way of the Employed-to-Invent doctrine. In particular, to the extent that the employer […]