The Inventor's Notebook (Paperback)

~ (Author), (Author), Fred Grissom (Author) "A well-maintained notebook will be of crucial importance should your inventorship or your eligibility for a patent ever be called into question by the Patent..." (more)
Key Phrases: parties cannot resolve such dispute, accordance with any finding, contain valuable proprietary information, Provisional Patent Application, Copyright Office, Disclosure Document Program (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Face it: It's not enough to simply have a good idea for an invention, build it yourself, and expect to retire to Millionaire Acres. It doesn't work that way anymore, if it ever did. Here's a meticulous guide to the process of documenting and bringing your inventive ideas to the marketplace written by a successful inventor and a longtime patent attorney. All you would-be Thomas Edisons should have this book in your library. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

This book is especially designed to help document key steps in the invention process--conceiving, building and testing the invention, legally protecting it, marketing and financing. It helps inventors organize all the necessary information in one location, so that the completed notes serve as the foundation for the legal protection of the idea. Includes worksheets, checklists and sample agreements. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: NOLO; 3rd edition (November 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873375998
• ISBN-13: 978-0873375993
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #627,525 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Inventors notebook contains mostly worksheets., December 31, 1999

By	Don Drury (Locust Grove, OK USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Inventor's Notebook (Inventor's Notebook, 2nd ed) (Paperback)

Yes, this is a very good book. To the point, with much useful information. It IS A WORKBOOK with mostly blank forms to document your invention. It does not have the volume of information I was expecting. I do think it is a good book though, just don't buy it as a first book. It was printed as a companion to "Patent it Yourself".

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Superb Book, January 23, 2006

By	Bill Bazik (Fairview Park, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Inventor's Notebook (Inventor's Notebook, 2nd ed) (Paperback)

One of the biggest mistakes inventors make is the failure to maintain adequate records for their inventions. This is often due to not understanding the vital importance of proper records from the standpoint of the U.S. patent laws. The law mandates that only the first and true inventor shall receive a patent.

The Inventor's Notebook is primarily designed to provide the inventor with the records you will need to legally prove you are the "first and true inventor". Please note that it does not offer legal advice. Only your patent attorney or a patent agent can advise you as to the current state of the law with regard to your specific invention. Also, to better understand and appreciate its purpose, you should also read and study a good up-to-date guide to patent law, such as David Pressman's Patent It Yourself.

In addition to providing the means to prove you are legally the first to invent, the Inventor's Notebook provides you with guidelines for making decisions regarding patentability, commerciality, and whether other paths could be taken -- e.g., keeping your invention a trade secret. The book is divided into four main parts -- a work diary, legal protection, marketing and financing.

The work diary section gives you examples of how to record your invention with regard to its conception, purpose, description, operation, novelty, prior art and what the advantages of your invention are. It stresses the importance of drawing a line through blank sections to prevent others from later claiming material was added after the page was prepared, dated and witnessed. Entries must be made in ink and pencil sketches should be photocopied. The proper method for adding photos is also given.

The legal section explains the importance of and how to make a prior art search. The term, "prior art", in patent law means any material that can be found that was on record before the date you conceived your invention and that might be used to deny your right to a patent. This includes prior patents, magazine articles, technical journals, books, catalogs, etc.

The legal section includes pages for the recording of contacts made while developing your invention with emphasis on securing confidentiality agreements to protect your invention. It also stresses the extreme importance of the "one year rule", which requires that you must file your patent application within one year of the date on which you first publish, publicly use, sell or offer your invention, or any product that embodies same, for sale.

The marketing section notes that you should avoid the trap many first-time inventors fall into -- namely, spending vast amounts of time, energy and money on your invention before checking out its commercial potential. It also warns of the very common trap of paying money to an "invention developer" who, quite often, cannot even furnish the names of any successful clients. The book provides a list of 34 positive factors and 21 negative factors for evaluating your invention.

The marketing section also contains "Potential User Survey" forms and some recommendations for doing market researching. Also, it contains forms for recording your own study of "Relevant Market Trends" and a list of questions you should ask yourself regarding forming a decision as to manufacturing it yourself, distributing it yourself or selecting companies to do it for you. In addition, four pages of information regarding Internet Web pages useful to inventors are provided. This includes "A Cyberpreneur's Guide to the Internet". Today the Internet not only provides vast amounts of information but it also can be used to promote your invention.

The financial section contains guides and checklists for your budget estimates and for selling your invention or for seeking capital.

The back of the book contains lists of publications about patenting, business and books of interest to inventors. Also in the back of the book are tear-out copies of a "Consultants Work Agreement", "Proprietary Materials Agreement", "Positive and Negative Factor Evaluation Form" and a "Universal License Agreement Form". In addition, a six-page glossary is included covering 13 functions such as springs, shape, optics and fluid flow. This can be a great aid when you are at a loss of words to describe the parts and functioning of your invention. It clues you in on the terms patent examiners most often see. Using these terms will also make your invention more understandable to your patent attorney or agent.

This is a superb book. Every serious inventor should own a copy. The price is very low and its value to you is very high. It is simple to understand and is without the "legalese" some authors use to impress readers.