How do you submit your automobile concept idea to auto manufacturers?
By Yahoo User • Category: Trademarks Requirementswhat patent(s), copyright(s) and/or trademark(s) are necessary to legally submit your vehicle idea to automakers? any requirements for such a submission?I have had this idea for about 18 months, but I am lost on how to make my idea a reality and not be taken for a loop or have my intellectual property stolen.
Maybe you can hire an agent of some sort?
unless you can get a paten on the idea it will be stolen. Try Invent1
I suggest being very careful when it comes to this. STAY AWAY from a company called Davison In–something. i forgot the rest of their name, but they will scam you. Be very careful about companies that say they will take you through the process. I’m sure someone else will answer your question about what to do.
Likely you can not submit your automobile concept to an auto manufacturer. You could sue them for making any car that resembled your idea even if they have had their own idea on the drawing board for years. They won’t take a chance. Perhaps by “automobile concept” you mean the body design rather than the engine and mechanics. In that case you should study design patents. For example, if you designed a novel handle for a fishing knife, you could obtain a “design patent” (good for three years?) such that no one could use your handle for the protected amount of time. You likely would need to make (or have made) a good scale model of your design and perhaps a set of drawings. A patent attorney can advise you on the procedure and fees required. Of course there is no guarantee that you have not infringed upon someone else’s design. The patent attorney should advise you how to shop around your design patent. Good luck.
Very important: get your ideas patented first before you submit to anybody. Get advice from your nearest legal firm
It is not possible to protect ideas but rather the representation of that idea. Here’s a quick description about the three branches of IP; this should give you a good idea about where to go from here.PATENTS:To protect an original invention OR a significant improvement to an existing product, a patent would be filed. Here’s the USPTO’s definition: http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/doc/general/index.html#patent Associations may be a good avenue to explore. These organizations will address many of the thoughts, questions and concerns you’ll inevitably have as well as many you haven’t anticipated yet. See the source box for some relevant links. COPYRIGHTS:Copyrights can be obtained for things of an artistic nature. This includes, of course, poetry, films, sculptures, music, fiction, etc. But can also include things that may not necessarily seem “artistic” in the general sense of the word. Copyrights can also be obtained for advertising copy, games, software programs and blueprints, to name just a few. TRADEMARKS:Trademarks can be names of products or services, logos, slogans, packaging and even sounds and smells. In essence, a trademark can be almost anything that is used to identify a particular product or service. Registering a trademark grants the owner exclusive rights to the mark within the specified industry. Of course, it’s necessary to research the mark comprehensively prior to filing to ensure that there is no possibility of infringing upon another party. Hope that helps!