Do you know any IP firms who can provide input in the design of an invention?

Question

I am looking for firms who are willing to develop expertise and take an idea described in a paragraph and transform it into a patent application. This means they will be willing and capable of gaining the relevant expertise, analysing the technology landscape and draft a patent application that is complete and scientifically sound. Are there any firms that can do this? So far, IP firms were only able to contribute to legalities and procedural issues instead of the actual content of my description.

Answer 1

If you have the bare idea for invention and want to develop that idea into something patentable, then you would probably want to work with a product development consulting firm. Such firms are often willing to work on early stage ideas. One thing I would caution, product development firms generally have a combination of industrial designers, engineers and less often scientists. Some firms are only industrial designers. If there is some technical development necessary, make sure the firm has the requisite skills. You may be able to find an independent consultant who can provide the necessary development. Look for someone who has a significant patent portfolio as they would know better what is necessary for patentability.

You still will need to work with an intellectual property firm to draft and prosecute the actual patent.

Answer 2

First, you need to actually invent something. One paragraph describing and idea might or might not be an invention. If it was an idea rather than a fully formed invention, a patent practitioner should tell you that they need more detail as a starting point. You might mistake that as an unwillingness to dive in.

On the other hand, when I was an active registered patent agent it was rare for a client to have a coherent multipage description of their invention when they walked in the door. I considered it a key part of my role to pull out from them the essence of the invention. Often they set a prototype on the table and said "here is my invention". I needed to work with them to try to isolate the key concepts that make it special and then weed out any that would not be missed if left out of a competing product. This usually took the form of two or more interviews. And often required me to learn some technology I was unfamiliar with. (foot orthotics, fault tolerant battery management systems, slotted aloha communications, bio-reactors for growing algae, specialized sutures, location dependenet DNS system, low-power capture of water from the atmosphere, etc.)

I then got them to come up with uses of that concept other than the specific example embodied in their prototype. Almost never did any wording of my draft use any language provided by the inventor.

Legalities and procedure are critical after an invention has been identified and understood by all.

If you do need to work with consultants to flesh out your bare idea to an invention note that the consultants may become co-inventors in the process. You should have written agreements that specify that, should they become co-inventors, they have pre-assigned their rights to you.