How exciting? You’re minding your own business and then, it hits you! Your “aha” moment. I’m referring to that moment when you realize that you’ve come up with a better way to do something. You have figured out a way to make it easier! Great!
Then, you call your favorite patent attorney to tell me the news :-). You ask, “Andrea, I’ve improved something, now what?” First, we need to determine if your invention is patentable. Is your improvement useful? Is it novel? Is it non-obvious? Conduct a patent search using the USPTO database or free tools like Google Patents. If you find an exact version of your invention, you know it’s not patentable. However, seek the help of a professional to help you to interpret if your invention is non-obvious. Your consultation will be more effective if you bring references of interest to discuss.
Your improvement may be patentable. Maybe your improvement is the next big thing!