I have no doubt that Vern is corrrect about Pat Missin being an
expert on harmonica patents. Please know that absent a signed non-
disclosure agreement between parties prior to disclosing anything
about potential intellectual property, there is no protection for
your idea should it turn out to be patentable. Not implying anything
about Pat specifically, just a general intellectual property
protection statement. I know a bit about the patent process and
have a US Patent. #5,167,575
Pat might, if willing, help you more quickly find out if your idea
is similar enough to prior art so as to render it not likely
patentable, but it is the US Patent office and specifically the
Patent reviewer who adjudicates your application and makes the final
decision on what is and is not patentable based on a review of prior
art. It is a complicated process.
Having been through this process, the best and least expensive way
to move forward early on is to do informal research on your own or
with willing parties (like Pat if he is willing) who have signed an
NDA and then, assuming that this informal process yields promise
that the intellectual property in question is in fact not obvious
prior art, to then get a reliable patent atty. who can guide you
through the complex process with the Patent Office.
I would be happy to talk to you about it (not the invention, but the
process of protecting your idea) if you want some free advice. No
strings - I am a business consultant and one of my areas of so
called acumen is IP. I would also sign an NDA. I can steer you to
forms to protect your idea and give you some business help on the
whole invention process. I successfully prosecuted my idea into a
patent and then into a sale to a Mfg. Had nothing to do with
harmonicas.
Best - Ross Macdonald
----- Original Message -----
From: "Vern" <jevern@xxxxxxx>
To: "Michael Easton" <diachrome@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: "Harpl list" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, June 9, 2010 5:45:50 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Harmonica patent search
If I were you, I would trust Pat Missin with a description of the
invention. Pat is an expert on harmonica patents and could inform
you of any existing patents that "read" on your invention. If Pat
doesn't knowe about a patent, it probably doesn't exist. If nothing
else, Pat is an expert in the process of searching patents.
Not only that, but Pat has an exhaustive listing of harmonica
patents on his website that have mostly to do with chromatic schemes.
Vern
On Jun 9, 2010, at 5:34 PM, Michael Easton wrote:
>
> I know a few of you like to research patents on harp designs. I
have a design I'm considering getting patented for chromatics but
> I need to do a specific search on the US Patent office website.
Is there a way to look up harmonicas then hone in on a specific part
of the chromatic to see if the patent has been granted.
>
> I don't want to give any details until I do the search myself then
perhaps contact a patent attorney.
>
> thanks
> Michael Easton
> www.harmonicarepair.com
>
>
>