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"Maximizing the Returns on Your Intellectual Endeavors"

The information requested below is needed to assess the legal situation relevant to the inventor's inquiry about the patentability of the invention described below.

1. Possibility of an Act That Would Bar the Filing of a Patent Application
   
   1. Has the invention or products made by the invention been sold, offered for sale, publicly disclosed or displayed, described in a publication, publicly tested or used? If so, briefly describe these occurrences.
      
      
      
      

   2. Are any public displays, trade shows, or publications concerningthe invention planned?
      
   
   
   
   

2. Inventorship & Ownership ¹
   
   1. List the names, addresses, telephone numbers and citizenships of all real persons who have made any sort of creative contribution to the invention. If there is more than one inventor, list the features of the invention which were contributed by each inventor.
      
      
      
      

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      ¹ Only those persons who conceived of or contributed to the invention may apply for a patent as an inventor.

   2. If the invention is in any way related to employment of those listed above, also list their employers and attach a copy of any employment contract that any of those listed above has executed with their employers.
      

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      Does any person or company, other than the inventors listed above, own any interest or percentage in the invention? If so, list below the names, addresses and telephone numbers of such interest holders.
      
      
      
      

   4. Can any employers, other persons, or other entities claim an interest in the invention? (e.g. have the materials, or machines of an employer been utilized in developing the invention, or was the invention developed during work hours--i.e. "on company time"?). If so, list the names, addresses and telephone numbers of these employers, other persons or entities.
      
   
   
   
   

3. Description of the Invention
   

   Attach a written description of the invention, including:

   1. Proposed title for the Invention.

   2. Short description of the Invention, along with any photographs or drawings of the invention.

   3. For an invention that can has more than one version, describe the preferred version.

   4. Key technical terms that could be used to describe the invention.

   5. Attach any related articles published by the inventor(s) and others in this or related fields which might have some bearing on the invention, or which might be helpful in understanding the technology associated with the invention.

   6. Names of any products that you suspect would be competitors in the marketplace.
   
   
   
   

4. Conception
   
   1. List the names of all persons who have witnessed the invention or to whom the invention has been disclosed, including the approximate dates of this disclosure.
      
      
      
      

   2. Describe the circumstances surrounding the conception of the invention, including the date on which this conception occurred.
      
      
      
      

   3. List and describe any material evidence that might be used to prove the conception date of the invention and any subsequent efforts undertaken to optimize and develop the final and best version of the invention.
      
   
   
   
   

5. Utility of the Invention
   
   1. Identify the uses of the invention, including any commercial or scientific uses and the markets into which the invention might be sold.
      
      
      

   2. Identify the advantages of the invention over other products which attempt to accomplish the same result.
      
   
   
   
   

6. Prior Art²
   
   1. List any patents or publications which disclose ideas similar to the invention. Attach copies where available.
      
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

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   ² Prior art generally includes all other patents, publications, and products in public use or in existence at the time the invention is conceived. Everyone who is substantially involved with the invention has an obligation to disclose to the patent office any relevant prior art of which he is aware both before filing and during the prosecution of the patent application. Failing to do so may result in an unenforceable patent.

7. Obviousness
   
   1. Describe any prior art solutions to the problems the invention solves or reduces, including information about how long the problems have existed and how the invention solves or reduces these problems.

      
      
      
      
      

   2. Identify any past failures of others in attempting to solve or reduce the problems dealt with by this invention.