Some of the best 2011 inventions are profiled in Time Magazine’s annual invention issue. One thing that many of these inventions share in common is a focus on perfecting the retail product that ends up in the hands of consumers. It is less important to be the creator of a new product idea than it is to make the final product as user friendly and cost effective as possible. Steve Jobs epitomizes this new paradigm for inventors, because he was not the first to come up with all the inventions that he is credited.

However, Jobs’ claim to fame is that he perfected the personal computer, iOS devices and digital animation to best fit with consumer demands. The advice that inventors can take away from success stories like Jobs is that it is far better to be the best than to be the first.

Popular Science is another magazine which publishes a top 10 list of 2011 inventions. For the last 5 years, the magazine has run an Invention Awards segment which highlights the most innovative contraptions to emerge from garages across the country. Some of these inventions help to save the earth, while others treat the sick. Some inventions are designed for entertainment purposes only.

Regardless of their purpose, these brilliant inventions are sure to inspire other inventors to dream big. For example, one of the top inventions for 2011 is a pen like device which can perform health screens for prenatal illnesses. This device costs less than a penny, so it is ideal for health care in poor regions. Another innovative device uses the exhaust from a boat to treat onboard waste.

Some 2011 inventions combine two popular products into a single package. The Google Prius is a perfect example of this, as the search engine giant joins forces with auto maker Toyota to offer what some describe as “motorized sofas on wheels.” These special edition Prius sedans do not require a driver behind the wheel, but they are similar to a standard Prius in almost every other way.

The cars feature a special sensor which acts like an eye for the vehicle. This cylinder shaped sensor is attached to the car roof and uses AI software to sense objects close to the car. The AI software can also make decisions of human drivers but actually reduce errors and thus prevent accidents.

Tips on how to invent something innovative can help you come up with new ideas to solve every day problems. For example, the founder of the internet Tim Berners was originally working on resolving a technical problem. He ended up inventing a way for computers to communicate with one another using HTML code. Anyone can learn the key methods behind the invention process by starting with the first step, which is preparation.

It often helps to find a problem which needs to be solved. If you already have a clear issue to focus on, this part is easy. You may choose to invent something for a specific hobby you enjoy or something which will make your life easier on a daily basis. New inventions can either be adaptive, which means they improve on an existing design, or totally innovate by taking a completely new approach to solving a problem.

For many people, the question is how to invent something that can make you money. The idea is very appealing, but even those inventors with fabulous ideas for new products may not know how to proceed with turning these ideas into a marketable product. The first thing to do with your great idea is some online research to determine if it’s already been invented by someone else.

If not, then you should also perform a UP Patent information search to find out if anyone has ever tried to patent a similar invention. If there is no patent on your idea, you may choose to work with a company that can help you market the idea to manufacturers who can turn it into a real product.

Figuring out how to invent something useful can pay off in a number of ways. For example, employees who are eager for a promotion will be much more likely to get it if they invent something that helps their company make more money or operate more efficiently. Those who are self employed may benefit by inventing something which helps them run their own business more efficiently. If they can create a totally new product with no competition, it can be a major breakthrough for their business as well.

Those who dream of building a business empire can build it based on world class products they invent. Those who dream of retiring with a steady income stream will also benefit from royalty checks coming in each month from their inventions.

Inventors know that great inventions start from an idea in one’s imagination. Fortunately, some tips can help anyone stimulate their imagination to brainstorm some creative invention ideas.

The first tip is to write a particular topic word or phrase that you want to brainstorm about at the top of your paper, and then set a timer for your brainstorming session. You should then continue to write words and phrases related to that topic in a list on the page until the timer runs out.

The goal of this exercise is to never stop writing while the timer is going, even if that requires that you write down something silly. The reason for this is that if you stop writing, you will likely interrupt the creative flow of ideas.

Focusing on a single topic in this way will force you to examine it in great detail. Try to take an exhaustive look at the topic until you cannot break it down into any further detail.

Free writing is one of the best techniques for inspiring invention creativity. This brainstorming idea involves writing about a topic without censoring yourself. In the case of an inventor who is trying to come up with a creative new idea for a dog toy, for example, you should begin to write about that topic until the point you get stuck. At this point you must continue writing even if you simply write that you are out of ideas.

By continuing to do this for an extended period of time, new streams of ideas can be opened up which otherwise may have been curtailed before they were allowed to develop. At its core, the technique encourages the flow of one’s imagination to “invent” these new ideas. Many inventors who have tried this strategy have found that it allowed them to come up with ideas they otherwise may not have thought of.

When it comes to beating the inventing competition, you will always have to face this issue regardless of which industry your product is in. Even if you have invented a revolutionary new product like a microwave oven, for example, your competition would still be from the traditional cooking methods like hot plates, grills and ovens.

Once you come up with a new invention idea, you should investigate the market to find out who manufactures competing products. Conduct an evaluation to determine how different your invention is from these other products and begin to compile a list of all the advantages and disadvantages of your product in comparison to competing products. This process will allow you to learn a lot from your competitors while also envisioning how your product can be distinguished from competing products.

Despite the challenges you will face against your competition, it can actually be a positive thing as it forces you to be efficient and innovative with your invention ideas. Research shows that competing inventions can foster accelerated innovation within a given industry. In recent years, this dynamic has become more prominent in the US as companies are turning to innovation to stay relevant to their customers and differentiate their products from competitors. The difficult economy has forced even more innovation to cut costs and compete more efficiently in a shrinking market.

When compared to similar research following previous recessions, the results this time are quite different. Since companies have cut costs to the bone, they are now turning to innovation as a way to improve their execution and be more competitive. Innovation ranks as the top growth strategy for global organizations and small businesses alike in today’s difficult environment. Investment in IT and clean technologies and productivity enhancing innovations rank as high priorities for many large companies today, and your next invention could fall under such a niche.

It is possible to patent a idea on your own and save a lot of money in the process. Filing an electronic patent application on your own without the assistance of a patent attorney can cut out the costly legal fees so you will only have to pay for the application fees that are required.

The disadvantage of filing a patent yourself is that you may take longer time than a patent specialist, and you may leave out important requirements to fully protect your idea.

The first step in filing for a patent application online is to download and fill out the patent application. You can select from a Utility Patent application, a Design Patent application or a Plant Patent application.

Utility and design patents cover manufactured articles while plant patents cover types of plants which are engineered. You should explain your idea on the application according to guidelines set out in Title 35, Section 112 of the United States Code, and also include illustrations of your idea if these will improve the explanation of it.

Technically speaking, you cannot actually patent ideas but only actual inventions. This means that if you have a great idea for an invention, you will need to implement that idea in the form of a functional object or design which can then be patented. Products, compositions, processes, manufactured articles, machines and other tangible inventions are eligible for patents, while abstract ideas and theories on their own are not.

You will need to work hard in order to turn your idea into a product, and if you are successful then you will be able to patent it.

You should do everything possible to keep your idea a secret while you go through this process, since ideas can be easily stolen. If you do want to share your idea with anyone else before filing a patent application and obtaining a priority date, you should have them sign a confidentiality agreement.

Before you file for an international patent, you should decide which geographical region you want the patent to cover. Different areas like the European Union have their own process for applying for an international patent.

When deciding which countries you want the patent to cover, you should think about where your invention will be most marketable. Doing the research of potential markets in different countries is essential, and you can do this yourself or get the help of a market research firm.

You should then research the process steps, timing and fees required by each of these countries. This research can be done in online law libraries where you can find a lot of information on the patent regulations of other countries.

The first step in the process for inventors in the United States is to apply with the US Patent Office for a foreign license, which is required by federal law. You should be sure to keep your invention under wraps until your application has been accepted by the international community, or you may be denied the patent request.

There are two alternatives available to file for an international patent. You can choose to file separate applications in the countries you are seeking coverage, or you can file a single application under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) or the European Patent Convention. When you file under the European Patent Convention, you can designate the specific member countries you are targeting.

When the application is accepted, you will receive a national patent from each of the countries listed on the application. This option makes sense for those inventors who are filing in at least 3 or 4 different countries.

The PCT process begins with an international application filing and an International Search Report, and ends with a number of national/regional patents being granted. The international application and search report can be published as soon as 18 months from the priority date.

There are many good reasons to patent an idea, and doing so will make your idea more valuable in the market. For example, if you want to license your product to a manufacturing company a patent will likely be required.

The patent protects your idea, and prevents the manufacturing company from producing the product on their own, and therefore they are induced to pay you ongoing licensing fees.
In the US, the government issues patents that allow individuals to stop other people from selling, producing or utilizing the idea which is covered by the patent within the borders of the United States. It also prevents anyone from importing a product into the US which violates the patent.

Patents for other countries and regions of the world must be applied for and granted by the respective patent granting body within the particular area.
There are several requirements that must be met in order for an idea to be eligible for a patent.

The main standard is that an invention must have unique characteristics that distinguish it from other products on the market and it must not be of an obvious nature. Specifically, you can’t obtain a patent on a supposition, a law of nature, or on printed material.
In order to successfully patent an idea, there are several steps that must be followed. The first step is to conduct a patent search on the idea. This search can be conducted via the US PTO and via other online patent databases.

You are searching for prior art, but if you find that your idea has already been patented you shouldn’t be immediately discouraged. This can indicate that there is already a market for your product which you could capitalize on by making an improved version that is significantly different from the prior art.

Following a preliminary search, it is wise to hire professional searchers to conduct a more in depth search as well.

One of the primary goals of most inventors is to make money from their idea. The process of developing profitable invention ideas can begin with a simple and informal survey.

You can ask everyone you know about what problems they have that need solutions and what type of invention would be useful in solving these problems.

Using this list of problems and possible solutions, you can then decide which of the problems are reasonable for you to work on. To figure this out, you can try listing the pros and cons of each choice, and try to predict the best solutions to each problem.

You can then make a choice of one or two problems to work on which would give the best chance of developing an innovative solution. The next step in the process is to develop what’s known as an inventor’s journal or log, which is a place to record your work and ideas.

There are many options for inventors who want to monetize an invention idea they have developed. Those who can sell their product with the help of an invention marketing company are likely to make lots of money. Each year, these type of companies spotlight new products which often end up being big hits.

You can submit your idea to an invention marketer online, and if they think it’s good enough you can get invited to meet with them at one of their local offices.

At the meeting, inventors are able to give a pitch for their product, encouraging the invention marketing company to help them sell their product idea. Royalties earned differ based on the type of patents on the invention and other factors.

While under the agreement with an invention marketing company, inventors largely keep the rights to the idea, while the marketer may either receive a flat fee or a percentage of the royalties.

I have an invention, now what? This is the question that is regularly voiced by new inventors.   Well, the answer is undoubtedly to file a patent application at the appropriate governmental offices so that the invention may be protected by the umbrella of the patent laws in the nation.

In United States of America, the US patent office is a one-stop-shop for all queries and procedures pertaining to the acquiring of a patent. Intellectual property rights and patent protection are commercial ways of encouraging inventions and promoting research in various vital fields.

With laws in place that acknowledge the work of an inventor and reward him for his efforts, development is kept from stagnating. Patents are issued to inventions that are irrefutable unique and possess the potential to have an impact on the market. As organizations issuing patents strive to ensure that the products that patents are being sought for are not creatively revamped versions of existing products, patented products attract high bidding prices, thereby benefitting the inventor.

Caution must be exercised to ensure that a product seeking patent protection does not infringe the laws protecting an existing patented product. Also, the inventor or the legal representative of the inventor, must ensure that the product is no longer vulnerable to trade sharks seeking to rip off the invention to derive the benefits of its market value.

Once some form of legal protection is obtained, an inventor can then proceed to market their invention to manufacturers.  If an inventor finds a manufacturer who expresses interest in their idea, a licensing or purchase agreement must be negotiated in order to actually begin selling the invention.

If you enter into a licensing agreement with a manufacturer, you will receive royalties, or a portion of each sale when a retail outlet sells your product to a consumer.

The phenomenon of “patent trolls” has frustrated several large technology companies in recent years, particularly Apple and Google. Patent trolls can use invalid patents and bargaining chips, because once the US Patents and Trademark Office grants a patent, it takes a high standard of evidence to overturn its validity. That often results in a long and involved legal case, and some defendants end up deciding it’s easier to settle the case for a payment than to fight it in court. Considering the statistics that 97% of all patent infringement suits get settled pre-trial, it’s easy to see why patent trolls are willing to take their chances with reckless suits.

Surprisingly, this is not a new practice that’s limited to the modern tech world. Patent trolling dates back to 1895, when George Selden was granted a US patent for using a gas engine on a chassis to construct a car. It can be argued that this idea was obvious and so the patent should have been denied, but instead Selden threatened the early carmakers with suits and collected huge sums in royalties.

It’s amazing how little things have changed since this earliest patent trolling case. As was the case with Selden, patent trolls today contribute nothing meaningful to the development of a given technology and in fact stifle its growth by raising the costs to legitimate developers. When Selden threatened to sue the early auto manufacturers, almost all of them signed up for licensing agreements except for one significant holdout, Henry Ford, who decided to fight the case in court.

That lawsuit was not resolved for the next eight years, as an industry group who bought the Selden patent did their best to turn public opinion against Ford as the suit dragged on. The initial trial decision went against Ford, but he appealed it and the Selden patent was finally invalidated just one year before its expiration.