How to Protect an Idea Without a Patent
Patents are a great way to protect your ideas from being stolen in the marketplace, but they aren't easy to deal with. The patent application process is long and expensive and doesn't guarantee much protection for your idea. If you can't afford a patent, or if you have decided for other reasons not to file one, it is still possible to provide some protection to your ideas. With proper care, you stand a good chance of winning any legal challenge over the original source of your idea.
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Instructions
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Get into the habit of documenting all your ideas in a single notebook as you have them. Never erase anything from this notebook, don't tear any pages out of it and put a date on every entry. This single habit is the best way to protect your ideas in the future.
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If you decide to use one of your ideas, write down every little detail related to the idea. More information is better in this case, so empty your mind onto the page.
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Have a notary public sign and date all documentation related to your idea. This stands as a proof of when you had an idea, which can be used to fight other organizations attempting to patent your technology for themselves.
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Start using your idea and selling your product. You have better chances of defending ownership of or rights over your idea if you have already come to market with a product based on it.
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Talk to a professional intellectual property lawyer to discuss your further options for protecting your invention. They will often discuss the basics of protection with you for free, and are well versed in current legal standards in the protection of intellectual property.
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Tips & Warnings
While these steps can help you protect your idea from being patented by others, if you fail to obtain a patent they are free to use your technology at will. Once your idea is a few years old, you can no longer seek patent protection for it, so weigh your options from the start.
