STEP 1: Determine whether or not you have an invention

WHAT IS AN INVENTION?

• Inventors and their ideas are as American as baseball and apple pie. Typical inventions are physical objects, procedures, methods, and products. There are many types of inventions.
• For an idea to be termed an invention, an inventor must conceive of an idea and then reduce it to practice. In other words, you must be capable of explaining how the idea will be reproducibly applied in a real world example. For instance, if an inventor conceives of machine that can instantly transport a person from New York to Los Angeles, he has a great idea! But if the inventor actually knows how to build such a machine, he has a great invention. An idea needs to be more than just abstract to be an invention.
• An inventor does not need to build a model of an invention to make sure that it actually works, only describe how the idea will be embodied or practiced. Most commonly, an inventor writes down an idea and draws pictures or flow charts of how the idea will look or be practiced. A + Legal Services can provide legal advice to guide you in determining whether your idea has become an invention. 
• Ideas are powerful because they lead to inventions. Inventions make daily tasks and products faster, simpler, more attractive, and more profitable.