This Invention: A Family Content Network

Renewal

2007-12-13T09:34:00.000-05:00

So it's now been a full year since our last post on the topics herein....it seems we'll refocus this blog again back to inventions - it appears at least one of our kids is becoming consumed with "inventing", now that their Daddy's patent has been actually granted. Coming up - kid inventions...

What's to come in 2007

2006-12-30T12:07:00.000-05:00

2006 ended with a lot of online projects queued up and ready to take off, for 2007. Our own family content network's latest addition "Dulles South Online" at http://www.dullessouthonline.com reflects all we've developed and learned over the past year. It's totally optimized for SEO/SEM purposes, and acts as a central vehicle to advertise and promote all our family businesses, along with related community and business listings.

KME Web Design (our business we started to focus on helping others with their websites and Internet Marketing) has had its first customers at the end of this year. http://www.kmewebdesign.com

Our real estate site was significantly enhanced with listings now automatically fed (via XML/RSS) to Googlebase, Trulia, Oodle, Edgeio, Propsmart and other listing aggregators - pretty surprising there's not yet an accepted real estate XML standard that everyone subscribes to. http://www.ingridmyers.com

The "invention" (Slingwheels!) that started this all off is on indefinite hiatus, as our funds have been shifted from investing in it, to investing in our children and the online businesses that will provide more immediate return. It'll have to be a back-burner project, but like everything else, a little bit at a time should eventually produce some kind of productive results.

FCN Roles

2006-09-08T14:13:00.000-04:00

This week’s post begins a discussion about roles. For a Family Content Network (FCN) to be successful, there’s a certain art to practice in harnessing, marshalling and persuading your family to operate as a well-managed unit. If you family’s like my family, it certainly doesn’t act like a business, nor might you actually hire everyone. On the other hand, your family members are just as valuable to your FCN as customers, as they might be as true partners. I see the FCN family member profiles as four major types, along two axis: the “activity” axis, and the “subject-matter” axis.

Along the activity axis, your family members range from fully passive to active with respect to helping grow the business. Fully passive members don’t participate at all, or merely stay informed – these can actually be your best “customers”, from the perspective they provide objective feedback and perhaps refer the “business” to other people. Fully active members are typing away, contributing business or technical skills, involved online, and otherwise truly busy.

Along the subject-matter axis, family members range from having nothing really unique, interesting or complimentary to add to the collective knowledgebase (if you’ve got someone like that in your family, you might not have a good enough relationship with them), to persons with deep, valuable expertise.

All types and variations on this role grid are important, though they need to be managed differently. For example, I’ve got a relative who wants to be active but doesn’t understand the Internet, and has very deep subject matter expertise (SME) in several areas. My job here is to facilitate his expression and exposure of his talents and information. Another relative doesn’t seem to have much to contribute, but is fairly active on the Internet – she needs some persuading and complimentary feedback to help coax out the nuggets of content value I know she must have, based on her lifestyle.

Therefore, to effectively understand and manage these roles, your FCN needs a Knowledge Champion. Someone whose role is part coach, part subject classifier, part industry researcher, part knowledge harvester. To be truly effective at harvesting the knowledge, this person must learn to find and extract both tacit and explict knowledge from the family. Tacit knowledge is that which is inside your head, your experiences, your relationships; explicit knowledge is that which is published, listed or otherwise readily obtained. The Knowledge Champion needs to be as much an effective collaborator and communicator, as an effective information manager.

In addition to the Knowledge Champion, other unique FCN roles, outside of the typical business roles, that we’ll explore over future articles include:

 Content Manager;
 Security, Privacy and Intellectual Property advocate;
 Archivist; and
 Communications Specialist.

FCN Methods and Starter Materials

2006-08-29T09:15:00.000-04:00

To help others establish and grow their own Family Content Network (FCN), we've begun release of some of the material and methods. Note that this guidance is only one way of approaching the Internent "ContentSphere" for the purposes of monetizing your family's online assets; but it's based on sound practices and methods, constantly updated to reflect industry trends and tools, and reflects the growing success of similar online content networks. In short, it's a plan, and it works!

The first article can be found under "New Articles" on our Family Content Networks website.

This first article simply sets the stage and explains a little about what an FCN is; future articles and resources will more fully cover things like SEO (Search Engine Optimization), using Del.icio.us and Technorati for links, distributing your content through Blogburst, etc. We will also explore the roles and responsibilities necessary for your family to adopt, in building this network - which is in fact a network of trusted people and trusting consumers.

The methods we've built and are following can be summarily illustrated as follows; all the details underneath this picture are available and will be released gradually as we continue to build our network, and others begin theirs.

The basic cycle of activity can be summarized by the numbers:

(1) - What great, unique, in-demand content to you have and wish to share or monetize? (The Content and Brand)
(2) - Who wants or needs it, and where are similar items typically bought and sold? (The Customer)
(3) - How should it be packaged, for where it's going? (The Packaging)
(4) - How would someone most easily get it from you, pay for it, and see more? (The Distribution)
(5) - How do you know if you're successful or not? (The Back Office)

The use of the word "Family" in this arena should be clarified - it doesn't specifically refer to the type and nature of the content (like, for example, content just for families and kids, like on the Disney Channel). It refers primarily to the fact that the content is being produced and managed by a Family; your wife, your sisters, cousins, parents, children.

I will stress, however, that success is directly related to the level of trust achieved among your family and customers, i.e. the content managers, publishers and consumers. This means that if the people using your network expect to be producing and using legal, family-friendly, useful, non-threatening material, they are entitled to receive just that. So deal only with information that's acceptable to the general public, or risk marginalizing your network, and limiting its growth.

Good luck, and get going!

Tip of the Week: Notice that the image link in this post (if you examine the source code) leads back to a directory on my website...the image is managed there, for use in other sites or blogs, instead of being uploaded to Blogger where it's harder to reuse.

Morph is Complete

2006-08-26T14:14:00.000-04:00

The morph in my focused activities from a physical creations to a virtual ones is complete....with the initial site page for "www.familycontentnetworks.com" launched today. In the coming weeks, volumes of material will be loaded into this site to catalogue the FCN discipline, and info for others to find their way. This blog will continue to be a news/journal site for all FCN-related activities, but will maintain an "inventor" flavor - who knows, perhaps the actual invention that started this all will stage a comeback! (meaning, I figure out an alternate way to approach the orginal problem).

(45) Another Content Site

2006-08-19T15:58:00.000-04:00

This is getting wacked - www.realestate-virginia.blogspot.com, another FCN site to add to the list, though this is primarily to drive traffic to ingridmyers.com, so won't have a lot of affiliate advertising on it.

The FCN business plan is shaping up; I should have (1) a "brand" page soon, (2) a process document regarding how it operates and steps to take to join and maintain the network, and (3) guidance regarding referral/link tracking and revenue-sharing. The local Women's business network actually has a pretty good referral system going, though it's focused on physical referral to offline business, vs. online referral to online OR offline business. Might mimic some of the governance around that.

Now all we need IS actual revenue, to share. Made $10 this week...paid for this month's domain hosting charge, so we're officially in the black! (um, without considering our laptop investment, time spent, printer/paper/ink, etc.).

(44) The Family Content Network Keeps Growing!

2006-08-06T16:04:00.000-04:00

Two more content ideas blossomed this week, linked into everything else (but based on our family's expertise) - Technical Resume reviews and comments (me and my wife, already underway), and Classic Piano Instruction information (my Dad - coming soon).

It just doesn't stop, once the family vault of capability is opened!

As of this post, I'm going to officially claim the term "Family Content Network" (FCN) as a "linked web of cross-referenced online properties and related content, woven together with a binding semantic theme (such as Family Services), and provided and managed through the efforts, expertise and knowledgebase of a Family Unit".

(43) Hack that Stroller!

2006-08-04T16:38:00.000-04:00

Here's what our stroller's starting to look like, all pimped and hacked up, plus starting to benefit from the invention/business-building process...but not quite ready for "prime-time!"

All the stroller accessories hanging off the stroller, plus many more, can be found at www.slingwheels.com.

Growing List of Family Content Network sites, generated from this invention process!

- Family Content Networks

- Security Screens

- Internet Safety for Parents

- Washington, DC-Area Real Estate

- East German Paintings

- Technical Resume Reviews

- Computer Training and Online Safety for Children and Adults (developing franchise)

- eBay Affiliate shopping and information

- Northern Virginia Development and Transportation Issues

(42) Summer Hiatus

2006-07-23T15:29:00.000-04:00

July seems to be a very evil month - sucking up every last bit of energy you've got, in non-stop fun, swim meets, cook-outs, birthday parties, etc...not much left over for inventing. Having been doing this now for 2 years, it's true - much more work is accomplished in the cold months, than the warm. At least the cerebral type.

So I'm basically spending time eliminating all the force vectors from the invention as it is...it's initial failure was due to the fact that I assumed far fewer force vectors than actually existed. I basically assumed the stroller platform would generally be more robust, uniform and rigid than it actually turned out to be. So, either need to fix the platform, create my own, or essentially make sure the invention stands pretty much on its own, with no assumptions to take into account with respect to the stroller. This is thinking, fiddling, experimenting time, both with the initial prototypes I have (that turned out to be really brittle, at $500 a pop - one's broken already!), and with pieces of wood, nuts and bolts.

I can see the invention evolving before my eyes - either into something fairly different than the patent I applied for (but solving the same problem), or into a whole new process approach, with existing parts and products, for which I can't get a patent. I'm pretty determined, though, to make something work, and solve the issue for most people - hopefully it turns out to be in a way where I can recoup my investment.

(41) And one invention begets other stuff

2006-06-22T13:09:00.000-04:00

So, with my invention capital investment funds appropriated (for the kid's private school), the invention prototype in need of a major mechanical redesign, and summer activities rampaging, the actual invention process is a bit stalled. However, the invention process and energy certainly kicked off or otherwise fostered a number of other, related-in-strange-ways revenue stream-generating adventures...which are making the "diversified family services conglomerate" strategy really begin to take shape.

www.slingwheels.com - I've become a stroller accessories expert, in creating my own - and now will sell stroller accessories. In particular, I think a collection of accessories for Moms or Dads (which will have different things in them) to use as gifts would really make the stroller community happy (read, yahoo stroller group). Should begin selling in July.

www.ingridmyers.com - Through developing the slingwheels website, I've become a good enough webmaster to redo the family real estate website (wife's mother), with linkages to all the rest of our stuff. As we pick up help in this venue, by getting our own real estate licenses, this should become a great cross-selling opportunity.

www.ingridmyers.com/erikaboehm.htm - speaking of cross-selling, it so happens we've had an entire lifetime collection of paintings available to sell for some time - now that we're getting busy on ebay and slingwheels selling things, why not sell reproduction prints? We've started listing a few - who knows, maybe good baby shower presents in addition to stroller accessories!

www.dadministrator.blogspot.com - the Internet Safety kick, generated out of our Whizkids business, is poking along. Some progress generating interest at work, and about 20 downloads so far of the (free for now) eBook (volume 1) generated, from the Whizkids site. Still looking at this as a cross sell with Whizkids.

www.whizkidsllc.com - Our computer training business for kids and adults - the website's been improved with more upselling stuff (affiliate advertising), but activity is down for the Summer, while we plan for all the new class activity this Fall in the county community centers. Should get real busy in August.

Drop-shipping - looking for more opportunities to drop-ship stuff from online advertising; will probably mean an aggregation of ecommerce activity across our sites into one. I've established a domain www.kmeshop.com for this; right now just some drop-shipping advertising and junk on it - to be developed.

Computer consulting and recruiting - new development, where we actually assist in technical recruiting and consulting. Right now in limited partnership, I suppose eventually we can do a full partnership and establish some business of our own.

www.nationalsecurityscreens.com - a relative's business, has truly been stale for a long time from an Internet perspective; I'm taking steps to take over site maintenance and support, and therefore bring it into the conglomerate fold, and perhaps generate more cross-selling opportunities.

This blog - continues to be an archive/journal of an invention, and that which was spawned.

(40) Buggers!

2006-06-01T08:34:00.000-04:00

As everyone says, the invention process is 1 step forward, 2 steps back. Here on our vacation, I've had time to really test out the full-blown prototype, and a significant mechanical issue has developed. I've suspected the need for an extra part for some time to provide a particular kind of stability and directional alighnment, now those suspicions are realized. The invention looks good, but doesn't actually work (yet). So it's back to the drawing board to (1) re-engineer the primary part for additional fit and stability, and (2) create the new part and its attachment points. What started out in my mind as a very simple and hopefully cheap product, is rapidly becoming more complex and expensive (with more metal parts) to design and manufacture. And harder to use, as a consumer. This is not really the direction I intended. So, time to buckle down, and rework the design.

This state of affairs does come at a bad time, from a working capital perspective. It's really important, obviously, to have a decent pot of funds to keep the design, testing and prototyping going, and then launch the product. Mine have been diminishing steadily, and it's just become apparent to us that we need to "borrow" from the invention fund, to cover expenses on the kid's education and our own retirement front. This makes it all the more urgent to get a subsidiary revenue stream up and running (i.e. online reselling of stroller accessories), to cover R&D of the invention. So, the product launch keeps getting pushed back - being ready this Fall looks like it won't happen, without some considerable help and perhaps some kind of cash infusion from a partner or investor. The Catch-22 is that I can't yet demonstrate the product actually works, just its potential.

(39) Desert Conditions

2006-05-25T07:59:00.000-04:00

We're off to the beach! Vacation time, finally. It's also a good opportunity to test the invention in "desert conditions", as well as "beach conditions". Lots of sand, salt, bad terrain, greasy suntan lotion, wet kids, packing/unpacking, loads of beach accessories; in short, all kinds of variables to throw into the stroller and strolling equation. I don't think our stroller fleet will be happy with us, getting put through the grueling "boot camp" for this invention; thankfully, though, we've still got 1 kid small enough to warrant a stroller, and therefore serve as spokesmodel (she's on the front of slingwheels.com).

In support of the eventual ecommerce element of this journey, I've now applied for a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), plus registered as an LLC retail business for tax and tradename purposes in the state of VA. Very easy, all forms online, and nice telephone support. Have also collected the wholesale information on select accessories we think we could resell, that are related to the invention, and started to adjust the site (in our development environment) to accommodate a shopping cart/catalogue feature. I'm investigating two different kinds - one offered by my ISP (aplus.net), and one that seems pretty good another mom-operated stroller site uses. Letsgostrolling.com is a nice shopping experience, easy and clean - I did a "view source" on the web pages, found references to "aitsafe", and tracked it down to Mal's ecommerce server/shopping cart service. Looks pretty good.

(38) Back from JPMA!

2006-05-13T20:38:00.000-04:00

Did a fly-by down in Orlando this week, at the Juvenile Products Manufacturer's Association convention (JPMA). Since this is my first foray into the world of manufacturing such things, I was eager to see whether (1) my particular invention had any up-and-coming competition, (2) what other parent-inventors like myself were up to lately in this arena, (3) what other stroller accessories were available that might be cross-selling opportunities, and (4) what the stroller industry in general was up to, such that my invention was still relevant and workable with their new offerings. It turned out to be a very positive trip.

I found many other stroller accessories, several by Mom and Pop inventors (highlighted on www.slingwheels.com/products.htm), and many as adjuncts to particular stroller lines. Funny the major stroller manufacturers really didn't want to chat with me, as an "Independent Buyer/Inventor"; must-of thought I was some kind of spy (got this understanding from reflections of the "strollerqueen" when she visited similar shows). Things like the MommyHook, Strollometer, Plate Pal, Pacifeeder, Frubi Shades....all kinds of neat stuff, from persons who really enjoyed telling me their story, and were eager to share information. Perhaps I'll one day have a table-top or booth exhibit. The tabletop exhibits were a new feature this year, just $600 for a table in the main area; Brad from Mominventors really seemed to think this was a great idea, especially for other Parent inventors.

The strollers themselves; mostly more of the same (this evidently isn't the real big new stroller venue each year), but some really neat things were the Nascar/Pro Sports licensing, new colors and mechanisms for folding, and stylings in the wheels and handles. But, basically, the stroller market is unchanged with respect to the need for my invention - this is good news, likely keeps me in business another few years.

The invention itself - it's amazing how many minor issues crop up, the more pieces your product contains. I've had two separate shipments of accessories for my product, and each shipment had errors, handling damage or otherwise were unusable. The manufacturers are very responsive, sending replacement parts etc., but it all adds up to more and more time lost. One particular area of the invention may have to go to market as "Plan B"; i.e. the way I would've like to have done it (and the better way) will have to wait a while and continue with tinkering and testing; meanwhile, I go to market with an easier, but not as elegant or truly useful part. But it still solves the fundamental issue, and reason for purchasing the product. I wonder how many inventions do well on first release to the market, where the maker doesn't really intend the ultimate product (though it accomplishes its basic purpose, to solve immediate problems and capture market share) to be available until release 4 or so (sounds like the software market, doesn't it).

So that's what I'll do - get "release 1.0" out there quickly, and let the public help test/revise for releases 2 and 3. Can't be utterly perfect, the first time out, but the point is to get something out.

(37) It's Alive!

2006-04-29T07:59:00.000-04:00

My designer and I met and reviewed the first fully-assembled prototype - complete with mismatched screws, a nail and sawed-off rivet acting as a pin, and several of the parts slightly off, not long or short enough, and overall looking very much like a prototype. But it works, the fundamental design and load/stress-accommodating characteristics are right, things "snap and lock" when they should, and the whole assembly looks pretty cool. It'll look really cool once it gets the right metal connectors, and is all nicely polished up, colored (SLA prototypes are this off-white color), with logo. And, after a year and a half, there's still nothing remotely like it on the market, though the groups and forums I monitor obviously still need it. Patent-pending: 6 months and counting.

One of those Yahoo groups is really active; I posted a helpful "lure" (a post with some nice, helpful information, directing those who want more info back to my site; this is called "fishing for natural links", where you establish links to your site over time from relevant, willing online associates or contacts - search engines really like this). This posting, in 2 days time, generated nearly 50 unique visits to my site! Too bad I'm not ready to sell anything, or have affiliate referrals set up yet for me to earn income from. What's most important, though, is to establish genuine credibility and a good reputation within the online communities you hope to generate business from - first, before trying to sell, second.

Protype re-runs next week, then we'll be seriously testing - I think we'll have to do one more prototype run, with the work being colored and polished, to get an idea of the final product look and feel, and how stickers, labels and/or logos would be attached. I think the initial packaging will have to be pretty plain; I simply don't have enough working capital left to do much in this area right now.

(36) Live Animal Testing

2006-04-26T09:16:00.000-04:00

Now that I'm on the brink of actually prototype testing, it's time to start considering product liability. As my invention has to do with children and strollers, any testing I do needs to be sure and consider all dangers to children and their parents - so I'll do live animal testing.

It's a pretty strange coincidence of the marketplace, actually, where I'm on the verge of producing a product with very broad appeal to the human stroller set, and here comes a product from the folks at "Kittywalk", strollers for pets. No, my invention isn't dangerous or anything, but I'd certainly looking forward more to doing the first bunch of extreme obstacle course testing with "Puffy", than with "Meghan". Cats don't need juice boxes, nosewipes or timeouts. Also, little chance of product liability concerns from the Focus Group, or the eventual customers. Very funny advertising, to be sure, is in store.

It's all a bit tongue-in-cheek, of course, but I actually have a whole new market (albeit not necessarily as large) for the product, with few liability concerns...after I hook up with a product liability lawyer (which is coming soon, because I really do need to test and sell the product for kids), I'll have more information with which to gauge how soon I target the kiddie parents vs. the kittie parents.

Note to animal-lovers: relax, no animals have been or will be harmed or mistreated in the filming of this episode - unless Meghan drops her lolly on them, and somebody gets a haircut.

I will have the first completely assembled, working prototype this weekend! However, a couple of tweaks are still necessary to satisfy the final testing platform - so it'll take another week for the prototype manufacturer to run a new set of the prototypes, with the CAD changes. Then me, Meghan AND Puffy will be stylin' with our pimped-out strollers (see her un-stylin' stroller at www.slingwheels.com). You'll be able to watch the action, live, down in Corolla in a couple of weeks (our annual beach trip); perfect testing environment for the product. Photos and complete product description/benefits will still not be generally available (outside the focus group), until I'm satisfied I have a product that will sell, and am ready to sell an initial limited run - perhaps by the end of the Summer.

Look for my report from the JPMA exposition in a couple of weeks; I'm not showing, just scoping the "pimp my stroller" competition (and possible partners/distributors)!

(35) Modern Marvels results

2006-04-15T15:37:00.000-04:00

Ok, the results are in for the Modern Marvels InventNow! contest. The top 25 are very certainly really good ideas, with scientific merit and lots of expense in developing for the most part. The 100 "honorable mentions", at Honorable Mentions are pretty good, too, but I'd like to know more about the judging criteria. In this blog, way back in entry (17) and before, I was working through the decision of whether to enter or not. I still feel it was good not to enter, even now, as I'm not yet ready to finance a production run or get totally caught up in publicity and attention - it's just too soon. I do feel, however, that this invention would certainly have made an honorable mention, after reviewing those - it's certainly on par with most from a uniqueness and global need perspective. Perhaps next year, as I think I'll have started to really market and sell a few, and will know whether they're truly useful or not.

This invention would certainly have kicked the stuffing out of most of the American Inventor junk!

(34) We need a new American Inventor

2006-04-14T09:09:00.000-04:00

Last night's American Inventor show was abysmal - 2 hours of disgusting slobbering and teary confessionals (from both the contestants and the judges) about bad financial decisions. To boot, the inventions that made it through aren't much to speak of, plus they didn't really show half of them. A doll that speaks 3 languages? How is that an "invention"? Ugh. At their core, these people appear to be truly committed people with interesting ideas and inventive merit; too bad the show focuses so much on them, vs. their work.

I've officially posted a redacted front page of the website for my invention, at www.slingwheels.com - it gives some little hints as to what the invention is, but continues to avoid actually spelling it out. Checking the statcounter statistics about its traffic and visits to this site is pretty interesting; I get random hits from some very random places, as people do MSN or Google searches and this blog (or my other sites) pop up, with links to it. Here are some of the keywords people've used, that led them here:

- invention contest April
- children's safety
- invention making
- what invention can a kid make on his own with construction paper
- my 4th grade science project invention
- i want cash for my invention or idea
- modern marvels honorable mentions
- invention of the boomerang
- invent now honorable mentions
- invention already created sites
- children's online computer games
- lawfirm letterhead designs

(33) Focus Groups

2006-04-07T12:17:00.000-04:00

One of the most important parts of winning the invention-to-market race, is market research. I've spent a whole lot of time research online, in bike stores, in baby/toy stores, out in the community, etc., trying to understand if this invention makes sense, people might buy it, and what kind of cost thresholds and design considerations I need to consider. Now comes the hardest, and potentially most vulnerable part of the market research - actually telling real people about it (beyond my own family and friends!), and getting candid opinions. I've delayed doing this, of course, to keep the invention "under wraps" as long as possible (so the knock-off agents don't get a head start!), but it's time to unveil it in a limited public forum. The prototype is about as complete as it can get without external review, and it's really time to get moving and market/sell this thing!

I plan to execute a series of focus group activities as follows:

1 - assemble a group, representing the target market with relevant background, probably no more than 20-30 persons.
2 - execute an NDA (not that this will stop the spread of information, but it might stall it a bit)
3 - do an online disclosure and survey to the focus group (through the site, www.slingwheels.com)
4 - after gauging the interest and feedback, do an in-person demo and hands-on tryout of the prototypes with a portion of the focus group.
5 - analyze and report the results.

The in-person focus group needs to be local; the online group can be fairly widespread, but I'm going to prefer to keep it somewhat local. What's important is I get a good cross-section of the target market, including those who might use the product in different ways.

From a focus group participant perspective, the benefits might include; fun, being part of a local "movement", potential local publicity or business exchange, discounts on future stuff, other potential giveaways.

I've put out the word on two local portals, am seeing a pretty quick turnaround in "click-throughs" to check it out.

On another topic, I saw the fourth installment of "American Inventor" yesterday; this show really isn't very good right now, as they weed through all the sob stories and junk that aren't inventions at all. They do show glimpses of some neat things that made it through; hopefully they'll spend more time analyzing the good stuff in weeks to come. I'd be interested in assembling a list of persons in my community who are in some stage of inventing; there's a lot of inventing going on around DC (my area), but far more never makes it past the "I've got an idea" stage.

(32) Track Blog Visitors

2006-04-02T15:19:00.000-04:00

As I've kept this "journal", and pointed it out in other discussion groups or blogs, it became apparent that I should know how many people are in fact looking at/reading this - in order to better tailor the content or discussion. So I poked around, and found that "Statcounter.com" is a great, easy, free and ad-free (you don't see their ad on my site!) service to get statistics on your blog visitors. This is especially helpful, as my network of blogs and sites evolves, to understand whether references and links or doing the trick. Ultimately, this network of blogs and sites will be the marketing and selling machine for this invention, so it's good to get an early view into what kind of online exposure works, and what doesn't.

Met with the designer yesterday, to review the first prototype together - agreed on a list of 5 or 6 things to modify, and then get a full prototype run done (12 pieces). It's very helpful that this designer really knows and has good relations with the local manufacturer doing the prototypes; between them, they're able to make tweaks, corrections and suggestions for an overall better product, that's easier to manufacture, than I could ever do. Make sure your designer has good contacts with the manufacturing industry.

Speaking of the manufacturing industry, a fellow I work with appears to have a good contact network in India for "offshoring" the high-volume manufacturing (should it ever get to that). I will begin exploring this, if only to truly learn the ins and outs, as well as the costs and investments I'd need to make to see this happen. Didn't actually know there was a lot of offshore manufacturing going on in India; all the press seems to point to China right now...

(31) Tip of the week - parts and pieces

2006-03-29T14:01:00.000-05:00

Simply the best online service for parts and pieces to create your invention - McMaster-Carr, at www. mcmaster.com. They've got all your bushings, bearings, shaft sleeves and axle hubs (which incidentally, all sort of solve the same problems, I've now learned), and 500,000 other hard-to-find (read: not in Lowe's) products. Quick shipments, too.

(30) New Blog

2006-03-29T09:49:00.000-05:00

I've been dealing with Internet Safety for a while - check out the new blog at http://DADministrator.blogspot.com.

(29) American Inventors

2006-03-16T22:26:00.003-05:00

Just caught the new American Inventors show... on the one hand, it's pretty humbling to see how many people are working hard and long on their projects, and spending a bunch of money, with just an idea and dream to work with. On the other hand, people don't get out much, or do enough Googling. Look through product magazines, industry websites. Walk through Target, Walmart. Check out Hammacher Schlemmer, Lowes, places and catalogues with wide distribution. Things that sell (1) work, (2) have some aesthetic design input, (3) don't assault your common sense or moral compass, and (4) can't be simply recreated with stuff lying around the house. The show itself? Mildly entertaining, focused too much on the people vs. the inventions, and the bald judge was the only one who came up with relevant explanations for his decisions. I'd simply like to see a show that spent 5 minutes on each and every invention, and let us vote on them real time. There also were very few actual, original 'inventions', but a lot of existing products, ideas or designs modified in some manner for new use.

Regarding this invention, here's a hint regarding the target market - (like that commercial on TV); I don't make strollers or carts, but I make them better! I am, in fact, now a self-proclaimed expert in all things quinny, inglesina, chicco, valco, mbud and zooper! (If you don't recognize this language, check out planet StrollerSWAP, at Yahoo groups).

(28) First Prototype Run

2006-03-12T07:43:00.000-05:00

That's why they call it Rapid Prototyping - I sent the CAD files to the prototyping outfit, and I think they literally created a first run the day the files arrived, and overnighted to me! It's pretty damn cool to see the whole thing come together, and I took a lot of pictures with it in a semi-assembled state - my "customers" are really going to dig this! (If it doesn't hurt them, and then they sue me - need to start lining up some third-party safety testing, and product liability advice).

The manufacturers did have a very good idea - it was suggested that they first do one of each part, and send those to me, in case I needed to tweak the files a bit, after which they'd complete the run. My product has four parts, I ordered 1 each to check them out. Good thing I did; each part had something slightly wrong with it, and a couple of them didn't quite line up right. Don't know whether the errors were in the original design, the transfer to CAD files, or execution of the prototype; but it's good to catch them before the whole run was done ($3K!). The parts would have been nearly useless as prototypes, and I intend to conduct some serious testing with them.

Two of the parts require a connector, some kind of rivet. Until yesterday, I really didn't actually know how a rivet worked - got schooled online real quick. Turns out there are all kinds of nifty connectors, pins, hinges, in plastic or metal - but it's very difficult to find the right kind (especially if what you need is very small) if you don't know the variety of types and terms out there. Curious, every help desk person I end up emailing says something like "having built robotic assemblies before".... I ended up at www.plasticfasteners.com, after trolling through thomasnet. They'll be able to send a package of samples of "adjustable mini-rivets".

Made a reservation at the upcoming JPMA expo in Orlando, to become more familiar with the baby products industry, possible competitive manufacturers, and additional or expanded target markets for my product, or products that may end up as accessories. Should be fun! Also made a reservation on my Tivo to catch "American Inventor" this week - can't wait to see how all the inventions and inventors stack up to my story. I blogged earlier about possibly entering a contest, but with a lot of follow-up advice and research, it turns out that there's very few reasons for a serious inventor with a serious product to do that.

Other activities that might be worth commenting on - our "Bay House" is coming together, architecture plans are nearly complete, got the last good, low mortgage around, now I'm spending time trolling "freecycle.com" and rummaging leftovers from my stepmom's real estate transactions for used furniture. This vacation house will end up looking like a Fraternity house, if we're not careful! The whizkidsllc.com business is getting noticed; we held a PTA meeting with the Sherriff's department on Internet Safety, and will be doing a lot more in that area soon.

(27) Kid's Inventions

2006-02-25T11:33:00.000-05:00

Been having lots of discussions with the Kids about the invention, the invention process, and how they can invent things. It's amazing, once you show them how, with an example underway, they'll start inventing all kinds of things. Every day, my kids tell me what they've invented, or want to invent. Therefore, we've come up with a couple of ideas, and I've told the kids to figure out how to solve the problem with an invention...perhaps this will lead to new inventions, or simply a great exercise in science, business, manufacturing, marketing, etc. for the kids.

(26) Phase 1 Over

2006-02-23T19:24:00.000-05:00

Got the bill from the designer for phase 1, $3800 for 55 hours of designing, making CAD files for the manufacturer, and all-in-all providing lots of good advice. Pretty good deal.

Phase 2 starts now - the files are on their way to an SLA manufacturer - I'm ordering 12 copies of each of the 4 parts, to test with. When I started this, I thought it would be 1 part. Now, because I'd like to avoid product liability lawsuits, the invention is not 1 part, but 4 parts, a couple of connectors, 1 more optional part (not yet designed), a fabric/velcro piece, another metal piece, and one final large piece. Ugh, hopefully the whole thing doesn't just crumble apart, unworkable, when fully assembled. Actually, I hope it will actually assemble at all.

(25) New patents

2006-02-23T19:11:00.000-05:00

Boy, do I hate that freshpatents.com list I get each month....it's pretty nervewracking to scroll through nearly 50 patents published a month having to do with the same general domain as mine. I probably won't be surprised when my idea shows up in someone else's patent, seeing as how busy the world is around the 'wheels' domain. 46 patents published this month, everything from "wheel lock for casters" to "aircraft front nose landing gear and method of making an aircraft landing gear". Huh? I thought these things were invented already; probably the particular claim around a particular method wasn't - I can't wait until my patent issues, and all the 'design-arounds' that the copiers will immediately create. Sure.

Going nutty with affiliate banners now - who knew? You can plaster your website with all kinds of targeted ads from ebay, to amazon, clickbank and google. It does tend to clutter up the site fast, and all the ads aren't necessarily exactly what you're promoting. But, if done wisely and conservatively, the site can both look good, deliver your message, and lure a few people to clicking on ads that are actually useful. I made $1.67 this month from Google click-through's! Make sure to check out the ads on top of this blog!

(24) Short Posts

2006-02-16T20:55:00.000-05:00

Now that things are busy, I have to do 500 different things a week in 10 minute 'chunks'. Ergo, I'll need to post more, but shorter entries. The book will have to come later, now's the time for the soundbyte. It's all about the sale, after all.

(23) The family business

2006-02-16T20:21:00.000-05:00

As the final tweaks to the CAD design drag on (stuff isn't prioritized necessarily the way you like it, when working with a P/T designer!), I made the mistake of thinking big. Sure there's a lot to do with launching a business and a new product, but what about launching a whole corporation? Where there's different lines of business (i.e. family businesses), all tied together under a common network of shared responsibilities, advertising, services, philanthropy, legal, facilities, marketing etc. It turns out our family actually has a lot of assets to be harvested and nurtured, somewhat related, that are in some manner already online (and offline) community businesses. This invention (and accessories), whizkids computer training (and internet safety spin-offs), real estate, security products, eBooks, paintings, single mom advice (and frugal!), website design, etc. Tie it all together with cross-linked advertisements, related blogs, group discussions, affiliate programs, and shared overhead/expenses, and you've got a (mostly online) family conglomerate. So I've started this (in addition to my day and night jobs), and it will deserve a blog in its own right. It'll be called KME (initials), a "Community Business Network".

I'll bet most families have a hoard of untapped skills, assets and initiative - as well as a hearty supply of employees, partners and volunteers! This effort can provide a working model.

Regarding the invention, I'm well into the website from which it'll sell - have signed up for Paypal and will sign up for a Visa Merchant account, to accept payments. The website template was just copied from another one of our websites....soon they'll all kind-of look the same, but it's easier to manage. I don't want to spend all day being a webmaster! Too many passwords.

I am also working on a "taxonomy", that is, a categorization of terms related to the product, the market, content types and the methods of using the invention; these categorized terms will make their way strategically onto the website, related blogs, and linked sites. It helps keep things organized. This should also help search engines understand the site(s) with a higher degree of certainty and relevance, and help also identify similar, related or strategic sites to/from which my site should link (either directly or as an affiliate). A network of sites and affiliates (i.e. advertising agreements with other niche merchants, or outfits like Ebay and Amazon) is thus created, around a common theme and terms, elevating (hopefully) the visibility of the network (and therefore funneling people who want to buy my stuff) to the target audience. This kind of taxonomy work is also helpful in creating the marketing messages and packaging for the new invention, and describing it to retailers (matching it to their products), manufacturers and press agents. A taxonomy can also help define the 'lifestyle' the product promotes.

How do you keep track of all these sites, you say? Use http://del.icio.us.

Who knew a single idea could blossom into not one business, but an entire network of businesses - all in the name of paying for the kids' college. Well, the living expenses, anyway, as we've already funded through pre-paid state programs the tuition. That's another whole story, as are the ridiculous and nonsensical ranges of construction mortgage quotes we got today for an ongoing construction project.

(22) DOB: 2/1/2006

2006-02-01T19:46:00.000-05:00

It lives! Finally have my hands on an actual Prototype model, made via a 3-D printer my designer had access to in his SolidWorks classes. It was made using the "SLS" method, or basically a kind of powder laid down, heated, and built up in the shape of the prototype (using the CAD .sla files). The model is kind of fragile, feels like a sandcastle. Very nice feeling to actually touch and feel the model. Good thing it was made, too, before spending $3K on the first run of 8 prototypes (using FDM or SLA); we discovered an opening wasn't quite large enough, a couple of minor tweaks.

Regarding Rapid Prototyping methods, I've got two quotes from 2 different kinds; FDM (basically ABS plastic pellets spit out like a bubblejet printer, building up the model), and SLA (basically layers of liquid urethane successively laid down, heated and fused). The FDM seems like it will be quicker and a bit more durable/possibly flexible (and a little more expensive), the SLA seems like it's harder but more brittle. This is base purely on Internet research and feedback from some Inventor discussions. I've got 4 pieces, 1 large and complex, 2 smaller, and 1 small and easy (i.e. 4 .sla CAD files). The FDM price is about $2200, and the SLA price is about $3100, for 8 prototypes of each of the 4 files. Some discounting for multiple units, but with SLA, this particular manufacturer had 'trays' set up in their machine for lots of 6, so anything over 6 and they need to use a new tray, with less discount. I'll probably try the FDM, first (which prints one at a time).

Now need to concentrate on the other pieces and parts, making sure to order each in sizes that match the final CAD files of the plastic parts. Certainly am spending extra money on little parts that end up not being the right size - lots of trial and error.

(21) Ready to prototype

2006-01-08T09:14:00.000-05:00

Ready to prototype - apparently there's just a few more holes to design in the product, and I want these holes to be dual-purpose (everything on the the invention is utilitarian, dual-purpose, multi-use). The holes will allow water to drain, as well as provide an attachment/stabilization point for particular accessories I have in mind. I'm looking forward to the "Phase 1" bill from the designer; he's actually done a lot more than originally planned, and will continue to help - first by soliciting bids from a couple of different prototype makers to actually create the first prototypes (both 3-D printing and actual casts). Hopefully we can get a prototype done by mid-February; have no idea how long the lead times might be.

There's certainly been a lot of converging activities in my family as of late, consuming all our time (I really don't know how people spend their time playing fantasy football!). It's turning out (1) our kids are smarter than the average bear in the woods, (2) the public elementary school is decent but only providing a great learning experience for the middle of the "bell curve", and (3) having visited a 'school for the gifted' close by, it's immediately apparent that we need our children to go to that school. They simply get 4 times as much done each day as the kids in the public school. Plus, "60 Minutes" says American children begin to get irreparably stupid, in public schools, past the 4th grade. Lots to consider, especially when the private school is $24K a year! Need to accelerate the $ales portion of this little invention exeriment, and stop all the careful thinking and investing. Sell, sell, sell, and hope I don't get sued.

As it's become apparent our elementary children need enrichment, we've stepped up the "Whizkids" business (www.whizkidsllc.com) my wife and her neighbor started, to supplement the learning experience of Kindergartners with computer-based learning. The classes teach computer usage, Internet Security and Privacy, online researching, etc., with a curriculum based on the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) guidance. So my part has been all around LAN administrator (of the in-home computer classroom), and web master. I'm a computer shepherd, now, although the benefit is an early start on having a total in-home computer classroom set up for our own children, with all appropriate content filters and security controls. The website is a simple affair, but it will eventually be also the basis for this invention's website, and there's certainly going to be cross-selling opportunities, as my invention is targeted at children and their parents, as is Whizkids.

(20) Table of Contents

2006-01-08T08:46:00.000-05:00

In this 20th post, it's time to review. I've post-edited the posts with "chapter" numbers to help with references, and avoid replicating information; this post will serve as a running "table of contents" and eventually summarized list of online resources. Though this is a blog, it's really more of a journal, perhaps some day to become a book of sorts.

(1-"It started When" - 1/15/2005) Initial idea (brief); though the inventive idea hit around August 2004, here's the first blog posting.

(2-"In retrospect" - 1/16/2005) First online searching

(3- "Checking things out" - 1/18/2005) More online searching, looked around stores, initial crude prototype

(4- "Search results" - 2/4/2005) Paid $450 for a successful patent search; created an NDA

(5 - "Multiple Fronts" - 2/12/2005) Finding a designer; evaluating patent pending application

(6- "Timeline" - 2/12/2005) Comment on timeline

(7 - "Time Flies" - 2/27/2005) General updates and concern about competition

(8 - "Return from Hiatus" - 10/22/2005) Haven't blogged in a while, so busy with Summer - complete update on marketing research, 'real' patent filing, CAD execution, Inventor's groups and contests

(9 - "The Internet and home-based business" - 10/22/2005) More marketing comments, and using the Internet/websites in home-based business

(10 - "Patent filing underway" - 11/05/2005) - working with the patent lawyer, and comments on accessories

(11 - "First Draft of patent filing - 11/13/2005) - email exchange with patent lawyer, with my complaints/concerns

(12 - "Patent submitted" - 11/25/2005) - as it says, plus more comments on prototyping and marketing

(13 - "Great advice" - 11/26/2005) - inventor's advice from alt.inventors

(14 - "Invention contest and Sirius" - 12/08/2005) - Discussion of entering an invention contest, updates on the CAD output, and getting a satellite radio

(15 - "Keep on track" - 12/18/2005) - Keeping the designer on track, getting a 'waiver' from the day job

(16 - "3-D Printing!" - 12/20/2005) - Designer discussion about 3-d printing, Contest entry progress, patent search service online

(17 - "Staying underground" - 12/22/2005) - NOT entering the contest, after all

(18 - "New Year's push" - 12/28/2005) - Humanitarian values of invention, alternate embodiments, plus packaging options

(19 - "Entirely Random" - 12/29/2005) - First comments to the blog; short discussion of Ebay

(20 - "Table of Contents" - 1/8/2006) - This one.

(21 - "Ready to Prototype"- 1/14/2006) - Ready to prototype, private schools, and Whizkids business.

(22 - "DOB: 2/1/2006" - 2/1/2006) - the first physical model is born, now deciding between prices and types of first multiple prototyping run.

(23 - "The family business" - 2/16/2006) - designing a family network of businesses around the invention, and its taxonomy

(19) Entirely Random

2005-12-29T08:41:00.000-05:00

...was the first comment/post to this blog. Received a comment from a Park Ranger in Richmond "davidingals6924" that he read the blog, and referenced his own "juicyfruiter.blogspot.com". Funny it's from Richmond, very near where I live. Also coincidental is the Park Ranger part; just yesterday I was discussing with my wife when we would exercise our new GPS receiver and go "Geocaching" (a treasure hunting game for the whole family, at geocaching.com!), and whether Park Rangers ever got involved. I actually think my invention might be an interesting future 'treasure' in itself, in a cache we eventually place. It certainly would be useful for many families who participate in this activity.

I suppose this randomness will continue, until the blog starts centering around the actual invention and the specific keywords, therefore becoming a set of categories of particular interest to particular people. Right now, it's little more than a fragile, surreptitious plotline in journal format with many incomplete story threads branching off; perhaps only interesting to those just like me, i.e. novice "Dad" inventors pursuing the first invention. For those people, however, it's certainly yet another real-life example of the process and its successes/failures. Maybe I'll start posting some pictures.

This month's "freshpatents" list came out, and is getting very scary. It's entirely amazing how much inventing is occuring (or at least being published by the USPTO) in my related fields (including the term 'wheels'), and each time this list comes out, I'm really anxious that I might find my invention listed. So far, so good - but it just goes to show how active the inventor community is.

I started examining the options ahead of me for online selling, including Ebay stores. It's utterly mindboggling how many stores exist in the forum, and how many people are making money by this simple medium, simple markups, and good customer service. Will have to draw up a pros/cons list of the various retailing approaches, starting with my own website. Perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself, but I still think the invention will sell.

(18) New Year's Push

2005-12-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

I am now ready for a New Year's push, i.e. into rapid prototyping, focus group testing, and getting a finished product manufactured. The official 'first year' of this business is complete, and I'd call it moderately successful, if a bit slow. Everything I read points to, while taking basic steps to protect oneself, being first on the market and establishing a customer and marketing base. Even though I'm sure a large plastics company in the industry I'm working with could probably design around and quickly 're'-produce my product very quickly, it would take at least 6 months. I'm assuming they'd do their own marketing studies, reverse-engineer my product, do some re-engineering of their own, establish their own marketing campaign, integrate the product into some existing or maybe a new line, etc. In the meantime, I'm building (hopefully) a loyal base of customers and probably enough business to make me happy.

Though it's so far taken me a year and a half, and will likely be another year until I'm full on marketing, manufacturing and selling a completely safety-tested product, I feel the progress made would be difficult to truly duplicate unless the product's a sure winner (which it will be, of course!). On the other hand, once duplicated, they'd (the infringers!) probably have little chance of me coming back with a patent infringement suit, as I'm not ready to spend a lot of money on it. On the other, other hand, since the patent isn't yet issued or published, they don't really know how robust the claims are, or when it was initially filed, so therefore are taking a big risk of future suit without adopting a 'wait and see' approach. Well, I hope they all 'wait and see' through my first couple of million dollars of revenue, and then simply approach with a phat license deal, which I'll probably reject in favor of some kind of partnership or co-investing.

Regarding the claims, I've sent another diagram of an additional embodiment to the lawyers, to see how they can 'extend' the original application to include. This new embodiment is really one of the first embodiements I thought of, but was altogether more complex, less utilitarian, and ultimately less useful. It is, however, easier to manage and assemble, the primary drawback being that this embodiment isn't flexible with respect to associated part sizing; it's a completely customized production. This means I'd have to manufacture completely customized parts for various sizes of the target market, and can't really reuse the parts. More expense, but maybe a definite market segment to address. I'm very motivated to get the originally filed embodiment produced and tested, as it can be reconfigured and reoriented in many different ways, with many different applications, and therefore many more avenues of product, safety and market testing.

One element I'd highlighted in that Modern Marvels contest entry (now officially deleted!), was the humanitarian value of the invention. This is an area that I've started researching a bit; my invention will really help both the affluent and not, as well as being probably useful in the handicapped market. I see multiple lines of product, including (A) high-end, expensive model for the 'suburbanites' (those who frequent bike stores), (B) low-end, cheap model for those really in need (those who live in small, urban apartments with limited income), (C) hobbyist model for those who just want the main parts and may want to use for their own, creative purposes, and (D) specialized model for handicapped applications. There's incredible handicapped and third-world humanitarian value in what's essentially a very simple invention - I've got lots of work to do in positioning my product for promotion towards those ends. Perhaps a program of donations to needy causes. Did some research on organizations that help the underserved in other countries; there's one in particular that may be the right avenue - "Bikes for the World".

Each model 'package' might have its own marketing campaign, packaging/labels, test conditions, package/parts options, and pricing structure. Note that the underlying invention is basically unchanged across the different packages. What's different is the invention's inclusion of various parts and accessories, creating the 'package' in some form of pre-assembled collection. I believe it's very important in the marketing campaign to come up with a number of options and accessories associated with the invention, so as to extend the customer base and flexibility of the product to adjust to different market segments. Not too many, however, as too many accessories and options may actually confuse the buyer and dilute the product focus. Most of the accessory options I've come up with aren't "inventions" themselves per se, but certainly do contribute in total to the underlying invention's success.

For these variations in packages, I've created a spreadsheet trying to examine the collective costs and potential prices for all the pieces. This is to help anticipate what the future 'first run' might look like; i.e. the orders to the manufacturer and suppliers for the initial inventory of products to package and sell, with the associated costs and likely markups. Lots of guessing right now, but I'm zeroing in on the 'orders of magnitude' associated with my product's cost structures, including future investments I will have to make. My investment 'kitty' is about a third depleted (with the initial designer costs at about $5K and patent filing costs at about $9K); the next major investment is in a rapid prototype/model run to create the actual products to test (I'm expected a cost somewhere around $3K). The initial 'real' manufacturing run, using actual aluminum molds for the plastic parts, will be a huge cost - don't know exactly how I'm going to finance that, yet, or what the cost/benefit options are of on- vs. off-shore manufacturing. If my initial testing and focus group marketing does well, however, I'll probably look to some kind of 'personal' loan, i.e. home equity. Everything I've read about successful start-ups and small businesses point to investing in oneself; every dollar wisely invested by yourself yields huge returns in your own business, as compared to counting on investments by others.

A quick note about my guidance; I'm working off of what I read - articles and online discussion about how inventors create and market, how first-time buisness owners operate, how people like me start businesses. It's all out there, and moderated by some common sense and a very methodical, emotionless, ego-less and careful approach, the whole thing does eventually come together. All business, no stress, keep it quiet and personal, don't stop, search the Internet every day, continue with 'real' life, it's still a true 'do-it-yourself' hobby for now.

(17) Staying Underground

2005-12-22T15:38:00.000-05:00

I'm reconsidering the InventNow! contest - for many reasons. Posing the question "is it really a good idea to enter invention contests" to a forum, I got several good answers - 2 in particular really stuck. Other answers from existing forums seemed to say the same thing. These contests are ultimately only marketing/promotion opportunities for the contest owners, and typically do not really support or contribute to an independent inventor/manufacturer's business case, if the business case is focused on making money (vs. achieving notoriety, fame or personal satisfaction).

From the UIAUSA forum - "such premature exposure will discourage investment by others as it will be easily copied....a good invention is an asset not to waste as an unprotected property".

From inved.org - "it is simply a matter of whether or not the contest helps you meet your goals".

It appears to me there are few Pros (though they are individually very tempting), and many Cons.

Pros:
- fame and fortune, it feels good! (only if I win, of course)
- free PR/advance marketing, to future customers
- possible help from interested investors, manufacturers, "interested parties"

Cons:
- publicity might be negative or misinterpreted, prematurely killing the concept and market
- gives competitors head start on catching up, before I've sold a thing
- my trademark is registered, yet, so could be copied and used without much defense from me
- gives competitors information on creating their own patents, designing around what mine might be
- publicity may drive unwanted contacts and responses, for my 'stakeholders' and my family/friends, even my children
- the contest may set timetables and expense requirements that I'm not yet prepared to meet or address
- I may be forced to take shortcuts to fulfill the contest expectations and resultant publicity, and therefore not fulfill all my carefully thought out steps
- all the "Pros" above can and will likely be fulfilled eventually, on my own terms, should the product be successful.
- I'm not ready to legally defend infringement, nor has my patent issued, so I'm not really ready for worldwide public exposure and the dangers it brings
- the publicity is for me as an individual, vs. me as the representative of a company - i.e. I can't 'hide' behind an LLC facade, and therefore avoid some unwanted entreaties
- I'm actually not interested in worldwide individual fame, just worldwide marketing exposure of the product - just not right now
- I haven't yet received a signed waiver from my day job disawowing any interest they may have in the patent

So, I'm not entering - maybe next year, if I'm selling by then.

(16) 3-D Printing!

2005-12-20T07:40:00.000-05:00

Who knew this existed - a 3D printer! My designer suggested we first do this, as an inexpensive method to generate a first-run prototype. This prototype could function, but wouldn't be the truly testable prototype (in accommodating various real-world stresses and safety hurdles). It would certainly demonstrate the mechanical actions, interactions and potential sizing and visibility issues with respect to the interrelated products and accessories. Precision CAD/CAM in Maryland is probably who we'll contact, as the designer appears to have a contact.

I would have liked, in my InventNow! entry, to have said I have a prototype - but my initial model (built by hacking up a flowerpot for the curved plastic) doesn't seem to fit the intent. I probably won't call the 3-D print a prototype either, just a model for additional design tweaking. The eventual prototype run, which should generate a truly testable model, will be done by a different company, probably "Applied Rapid Technologies Corporation" (www.artcorp.com) - this is the initial company I found on ThomasNet under 'rapid prototyping in Virginia', and who gave me the individual designer contacts.

A note on my designer, Jose' M. Bouza II of Northe Pointe Associates, Inc., in Virginia (http://www.north-pointe.net/) - excellent reference, and very easy to work with - he's proceeding exactly at the pace I need, a little bit each week, sometimes a little more, very part-time. This 'hobby' is part-time for both of us. When we first started, I was a little concerned that his specialty, "electro-mechanical design", was a little out of line from my area, which was purely "mechanical design". So far it's turned out well; designing with plastics is an art unto itself, though mechanical interaction and physics is a specialty area I might eventually need help in.

The point is, simply get a good reference from a reputable company; speak with them and describe your need, more likely than not they'll know a good person, who will likely be able to do a lot more than actually advertised on their website. And approach it professionally, with appropriate NDAs up front.

Google doesn't yet know what my invention is, other than 2 entries under 'newly listed domain names' and the actual site name (which is empty right now). I can't wait to watch the "Google Tide" carry the trademark word I've created for my invention, across the Internet - once it's posted in an area that Google indexes, with well-known links, many more results should start "blossoming" (like summer algae blooms in the Potomac River, which I've sailed through many times), and I'll get some idea as to the direction information flows of this sort. Might help my PR campaign.

I did sign up for a service called "www.freshpatents.com", which sends you each month a listing of new inventions published matching keywords you choose. My keywords include "wheels" - who knew there was so much ongoing activity in the field of wheels! This is a very interesting service. A recent article in the Washington Post actually highlighted ("Even at 5500 Years Old, Every Year It's Something New", 11/25/2005) a USPTO examiner in charge of the "wheels" subject - truly an interesting and timeless job. Hopefully he gets to my application in under 3 years, the current backlog.

(15) Keep on Track

2005-12-18T08:17:00.000-05:00

Had a conversation with my designer today; it appears he headed down a singularly inventive path himself with respect to a very tricky part of the assembly. When I talked it through with him, the approach was in fact quite elegant, yet didn't correspond to all the contextual variables and foresight I had developed over the past year, thinking about this invention day and night, in the car, in the bathroom. His approach ended up (1) having to be operated by hand, whereas my conclusions had it being operated by foot, and (2) had it designed to custom match another component of the assembly, whereas my conclusions had more universal direction, to match many like components (and not be so custom). We spoke through it, and he was re-directed, back on track. The eventual design should be efficient from a customization perspective, i.e., if changes are necessary, major modifications are kept to a minimum. Also, the end design needs to cater specifically to the target audience, and be as helpful, non-intrusive, and user-friendly as possible.

The lesson here is to keep constant communication with the designer, so as to catch directional changes quickly, before they violate the planning and expectations (and cost parameters!) you've already established as the 'expert' in your own invention. Certainly the designer will come up with some innovative approaches and conclusions, that you haven't thought of, but always make sure your 'gut' is satisfied and all the thinking you've personally put into it is clear and present.

Still waiting on the 'waiver' from my day job company, that tells me they're not interested in my invention, so I can officially go somewhat public with the officially USPTO-filed idea in the invention contest - needs to happen next week, before the entry deadline.

(14) Invention Contest and Sirius

2005-12-08T19:28:00.000-05:00

The application for the History Channel/Modern Marvels InventNow! contest is almost finished; I do it in spurts. Must do it in Word, saving frequently, and then cut and paste into the online application developed (but not system tested!) by IBM. I lost my data typed online once (with a nasty Java error), and have learned the lesson. Also, the number of characters per line allowed in the draft edit pane, is one more than that allowed in the preview pane, so the lines wrap unexpectedly. Abhorrent system testing, I'd speculate.

The main delay is awaiting notice from my company that there's no conflict of interest; the intellectual property counsel called today and said there's actually some kind of waiver that can be executed, that documents the company's disinterest and disassociation from the intellectual property. With this, they can't claim that the invention is their property, having been submitted by an employee.

In the contest application, the last part asks how the prize money would be spent. Being that this invention is likely to start a business and perhaps an industry, there's so much to spend it on that it's hard to be concise. I'll try to focus on spending the prize money on true value add for the invention itself, in safety testing, marketing studies and the actual first production run logistics. Perhaps even start a set-aside fund for gifts/grants - the invention would be very helpful to handicapped persons and those with limited incomes. Anybody who uses personal conveyances, but especially those with little children (big hint!).

Met with the designer for lunch, and he showed me the CAD drawings on his laptop. It appears just about ready to submit to a rapid prototyper to construct. He had to, in fact, get electronic CAD files from another company for the wheels I'm using (hint!), to make sure they matched up exactly to the other parts in his drawings. They were a bit reluctant to share, but we've established a good relationship (after they shipped me some defect product!); it's a small company, and everybody's cool. The designer, having worked in this area for a while, has several ideas and contacts regarding rapid prototypers. More to come on that. Really want to get going, in order to be able to 'launch' testing and marketing at my community yard sale this spring.

As I've turned 40, it turns out that a time machine has come on the market to transport one back to the formative years of music appreciation. It's called a Satellite Radio (Sirius). Since installing it a week ago, I've listened (on my hour-long drive to work) to songs and artists that I haven't heard for 30 years, and all the 'good' stuff on the Album B sides. Clapton, Costello, Springsteen, Whitesnake, Blink-182, AC/DC, Pink Floyd, the Dead, Phish, Traffic, Lennon, etc. And best of all (the whole reason for buying it), Howard. I was introduced to Stern sometime around 1979 or so, and have listened or tried to since. Just some amazing collections of playlists, organized into an incredible assortment of categories covering the entire spectrum of my interests. I don't want to get out of the car.

Other research:

- If you want good, professional advice from a broad pool of experts, go to www.inved.org
- If you want decent, practical advice from a limited pool, mixed with junk, go to www.inventorshq.com
- If you want decent advice with a bit of community, but mixed with the rantings of a few self-serving, self-aggrandizing inventors of flotsam, go to http://groups.google.com/group/alt.inventors
- If you want to see interesting topics from those engaged in similar activities, go to www.daddytypes.com, or www.mominventors.com.

(13) Great advice

2005-11-26T09:19:00.000-05:00

In my tireless quest for advice, and tips on avoiding costly mistakes, I ran across this summary in the alt.inventors group (Google). Fantastic stuff, and absolutely right on, imho. This blog won't typically contain references to outside advice, but this particular thread is one I'm very much following, and aspiring to, as ground-roots guidance.

(In answer to a question about what to do next, once you have an 'idea' for an invention' - by Wayne Lundberg.)

"Don't pay a penny to a patent attorney - yet. Disclose your idea with a $10 check to the patent office along with a drawing, sketch or photo of your idea/prototype. Or better yet, apply for a $100 Provisional Application yourself with help from folks in the inventor's newsgroup (alt.inventors). No matter how good you think your idea is today, in months you will have changed it and if you had spent the money on patent attorneys and all that stuff it would be money down the drain and no money left in the pot for that very essential engineering change to make it all work right.

Make sure your product/idea will sell at a price that will leave you a margin. Today's greatest tool is free and is something old time marketing people only a year or so ago could only dream of. Create a long list of keywords that you will be using in your advertising copy. Go to http://www.ebay.com/ and under the special search function click "closed items only" and input your keywords. You will see what the market has paid for items such as yours over the last couple of weeks. Do this every two weeks as you go through your development process. Sony never sell their products based on the old and obsolete MBA based manufacturing cost formulas. They sell them at PERCEIVED value by the consumer, and then they create manufacturing/distribution systems to achieve these targets. With eBay, you are at par with Sony's marketing gurus.
Be first on the market if you really believe your product has a future. Bet everything on marketing and manufacturing. When you think of making a copy what company name comes to mind? Right, Xerox owns the concept and everybody, no matter how good, will be second best in the eye of the consumer. What a tremendous advantage this gives Xerox.

Don't spend money on business incorporations, stock ideas, expensive letterhead, offices and business stuff. Work your checkbook until it's ragged, and then at some time, master Excel, Visual Basic, Access and use it until you hit over $30 million a year in sales. Get others to play in your sandbox by offering them a share in your future company. Do a fictional incorporation, say for a million shares. Set half of them aside forever - they will be used later as collateral at your bank. Sell 25% of your stock for cash. Reserve 25% for yourself and others who will help you build your business. Pay your lawyer, business consultant, accountant, and engineer in fictitious paper stock. Once you explain your business plan they will see the value of this option. Keep 12.5% of the stock for yourself from the get-go. (Keep the voting rights on the 50% for yourself). When you start making money distribute the 50% back into the business in the form of tooling, machines, marketing - whatever will further the business. See chapter 10 in http://home.att.net/~impresario/Index.htm it¡¦s free, no obligation, no come-ons.

Find your nearest Small Business Development Center (Not SBA, and not SCORE) at your nearby college. Have an interview and show them your idea and basic strategy. Their service is free, funded mostly through the SBA and State funding. They will assign people like me to help you through the maze at no cost. You have paid for it through your taxes.

Farm everything out. Do final assembly yourself. Don't buy machinery - others do it much better. Make good drawings, get good quotes, and manage your purchasing.

Get some prototypes into the hands of friends and neighbors and let them tell you what they would be willing to pay for such a device. This is the second step in guerrilla marketing. Be ready for heavy duty criticism and be willing to listen very well. You are in love with your idea, they are luke warm but may be looking for something jazzy.

Don't spend a single Dollar that does not help take you toward your objective. Have a solid objective and put in some measurables. For example if you send out 100 post cards showcasing your product/idea to so many businesses, at a cost of $0.76 each, and you get two queries, but it takes four queries to make a sale, then you know the approximate cost per sale if you repeat the process. This is key to your promotional and advertising budget. Time share marketing is on a strict formula; it takes something like one thousand phone calls to get 500 people to listen, for 5 to attend an event for one to buy a $12,000 unit.

If you go after a loan or venture capital focus on showing them exactly how you are going to spend their money in such a way as to make a positive return on their investment. This is the real heart of a business plan. Everything else is window dressing for which you usually pay a creative writer a fortune --- and it adds nothing of value. The financial spreadsheet showing exactly how you will spend and how you will gain a return from that expenditure is what matters.

Ask people to help you. Don't be afraid of rip-offs, that's why you protected your idea! Put a non disclosure document in front of them to sign. Use this newsgroup to the maximum.

If you don't want to get involved with the manufacturing, perhaps a licensing deal would be best. Contact our friend with the Boomerang fish thing, Rodney, in the newsgroup. He'ss an expert at it.

Distill your business plan, your business objective into a 15 word sound-bite and repeat it endlessly. You will be explaining your whole business to a fellow on the way to the third floor on an elevator. Learn how to get their interest in those few seconds.

Recognize that as the CEO of a new company you have four key responsibilities. Recruiting, Selling, Finance and New Opportunities. Recruiting can be getting a free consultant from the SBDC - Selling could be a write-up by your local paper interested in promoting new talent - Finance could be getting 30 day credit from McMaster Carr or a venture capitalist. New Opportunities come from being observant and asking yourself "What's new" at all times.
Get a copy of Matthew Yubas "Product Idea to Product Success¡¨ http://www.broadword.com;/ Bob DeMatteis' book "From Patent to Profit" and James White's book "Will it Sell" and read them cover to cover. Email George H. Morgan, Marshall Price, John Pederson, Michael F. Brown, Dave Kiewit, David M. Geshwind and others in the inventor's newsgroup. Go to stuff at http://home.att.net/~impresario/Index.htm and learn about cost effective manufacturing, how to invent and how to double your brainpower in one fell swoop - all for free, complete and unabridged. Start by mastering Project Management and go from there. "

(12) Patent Submitted

2005-11-25T19:39:00.000-05:00

Just back from Disneyworld, would've been great to demo/test my device there, with such a captive and engaged audience. But it wasn't yet ready for prototyping, as several loose ends needed tying up, revolving mainly around the accessories to the core invention (that might influence how the core item is constructed).

In the meantime, the utility patent application was formally submitted by my patent law firm, after I reviewed it and had a number of somewhat minor but pretty important comments and corrections. It serves to note that you know your invention best, no matter how smart or experienced a patent attorney/agent you're dealing with - so scrutinize their work carefully, and question everything. This includes the actual claims, which are the heart of the application - though the language may seem difficult to interpret, try hard to make sure you understand.

Just in time for this, as the provisional application being claimed was submitted a year ago (11/20), and the 'real' application got in on 11/18!

Now, there's quite a lot more to focus on with the patent out of the way. It doesn't matter whether it actually publishes or not at this time, really; so much rides now on whether the product actually works, actually sells, makes some profit, and doesn't hurt anyone. If none of this happens, the patent is worthless anyway.

So I'm going to get a prototype done as quick as possible, get it in front of some testers/evaluators, and come to an agreement with my designer and various suppliers with respect to the first actual incarnation for sale. It looks like I won't be able to create the 'perfect' incarnation first round, with my absolute best target materials, weight, shape, design, or price - but it'll be close enough to really start understanding whether the market is interested. The 'perfect' incarnation will have to wait until a future round of funding/investment, with the support of initial testing/evaluation results. Just gotta get it out there.

Speaking of getting it out there, I plan on marketing in a 'viral' manner, using the Internet and casual use around target venues. I'm not going to pay for any marketing, just start talking it up, offering it, referencing it, and otherwise generating a PR campaign. To that end I've compiled a whole list of target online forums, blogs, discussion threads and related invention sites to target with either direct or more clandestine messaging. For example, a couple of times I've seen a discussion list member complain on a public board that she's having problems with 'X'; I'd probably post a casual message with a reference to my site as a possible solution, avoiding outright sales tactics. After all, I am part of the community I'm addressing, and I believe my invention is actually very helpful to others in it (regardless of the fact that I have some profit motive). There simply isn't any other solution out there like this, and I'm happy to let others know about it!

Also finishing up the application to the Modern Marvels InventNow! contest; based on past winners and honorable mentions, I'd be surprised if my invention didn't generate at least a little interest. Though it isn't really a 'modern' marvel - it's the kind of invention that would've been useful in any age, but mostly now.

(11) First DRAFT of Patent Filing

2005-11-13T10:10:00.000-05:00

...was received today. Looks pretty good, but it should, given all the effort I put into research, the efforts of the design engineer and associated CAD drawings, and the very good conversations I had with the Law Firm, both during the Patent Search process and in constructing the filing. It's just in time, as the Provisional Patent was filed one year ago 11/20, so this needs to get in pronto (darned Lawyers leaving everything to the last minute, and expecting it to be perfect first DRAFT!). There were, however, a couple of issues I had with this DRAFT; the email I sent is copied below - it looks like I'm entering a new 'Phase' in this adventure, where my attention to the Lawyer community needs to grow:

"I received this (DRAFT) on Saturday - looks very good, and thanks for including the considerations we discussed on the phone. Have a couple of quick questions right away -

1) The illustrations and text reference numbers through 100 and above; where are the rest of the illustrations, and rest of the numbers? For example, the text speaks to number '80', but I don't see number 80 among the 3 illustrations.

2) In the 'summary', it says that this invention is a 'combination of first....and second.....'. Is the invention ONLY the combination, or is BOTH the xxx AND the combination (i.e. really two inventions). The xxx could actually be used all by itself, if constructed in a manner that there's a really snug fit...

3) The invention is described as xxx..., yet the principle claim is yyy...isn't it really xxx AND yyy? (can't disclose the invention details yet in this Blog!).

3) In the 'combined declaration and power of attorney' - I think the power of attorney stated is probably too unlimited for my interests right now. It says "I hereby appoint the following attorney(s) and/or agent(s) to prosecute this application and transact all business in the Patent and Trademark Office connected therewith". It also says to direct all telephone calls and correspondence to Lawfirm XXX (offices).

I'd rather not be in a position where calls/correspondence regarding this filing are received and processed by Lawfirm XXX (without my knowledge or consent), thus generating additional charges for services implied to have been agreed to (through this power of attorney declaration). I acknowledge that there will be costs associated with submitting additional amendments and arguments; but I'd like to be in the position of determining how, when and by whom additional correspondence with the PTO is conducted regarding this filing.

There are probably situations in which the PTO needs simple clarification or updates to the filing package, that are covered in this initial filing fee and activity. There is obviously a threshold at which the legal activity required to satisfy PTO requests exceeds that covered by the initial filing fee (the $9K paid). Where is that threshold? How do I ensure that any legal activities conducted, and therefore fees incurred, are approved in advance by me? I simply wish to actively control costs and breadth of activity, retain my personal 'power of attorney privileges', and retain the right to change or expand them as necessary. All correspondence can be directed to Lawfirm XXX, but needs to be immediately copied or forwarded to me (with no costs for this). If there is a cost to me for Lawfirm XXX to simply receive and file/adjudicate the PTO correspondence, I'd rather receive/adjudicate the correspondence myself, and request specific action by your firm as necessary.

Please don't misinterpret this request - I'm fairly satisfied with the output to date, I just want to make sure the 'power of attorney' assignment isn't an open expense account."

.....Turns out my concerns about the application were valid and corrected, and the Law Firm sent an email confirming they will first consult me and propose a price for activity, should they become aware of any actions required. All PTO correspondence will be copied to me.

(10) Patent Filing Underway

2005-11-05T08:09:00.000-05:00

Finally, after exerting some Project Management levers (i.e., please get me a draft by COB Friday, so I can review and approve), the patent lawyer is engaged in drafting the Patent Filing. It's surprising how clear YOU think your provision patent and notes were, and how NOT clear they are to a complete outsider. Had a good discussion of all the elements of the claim, mostly around my need to have as broad possible claims, vs. his reluctance to put too much in there that wasn't actually supported by specific drawings, use or basically information allowing one to actually build the item.

Meanwhile, the 5 individual parts of the invention are beginning to slowly converge; a few hopefully get shipped to me this week to inspect/test, and a couple should hopefully be ready to 'rapid-prototype'. I'm spending probably too much time on the accessories and safety elements, vs. the underlying invention (which is actually ready to produce and prototype); but I think my target market of parents would not appreciate the invention as much without the accessories. Also, I'd probably be at a more disadvantageous position from a product liability perspective without the accessories - this product liability issue is going to be a difficult road, I expect. There will be many design changes, marketing statements, tests and warning labels involved with the eventual product, to make sure I'm covered. To that end, I think I'm ready to be an 'LLC'; but I hesitate to do that, until I get at least a little justification and acceptance from testing the early prototypes (to see if they will actually sell).

(9) The Internet and Home-Based Business

2005-10-22T11:15:00.000-04:00

An additional item worth mentioning, with respect to the marketing/business plan front, is that I've established a domain name, web site (just the address, not any content yet), and email address for more formal communication with manufacturers and vendors. This is to mainly help establish some legitimacy, as well as start using the name in public to help support a future registered trademark application. As of right now, I'm going to start using the TM notation on some things, to establish this right. I'm pretty sure the TM term, while conceptually descriptive and related to the product, doesn't actually say what it is - therefore it's neither a generic nor descriptive term, but a real 'exclusive name or word used as a business trademark', that can be protected.

The email moniker seems to have helped with a couple of communications, perhaps somewhat more credible than "tedacdc"; my typical online avatar (used mainly for informal communication and collection of spam).

I've started to lay out the website, taking input from others who have gone before - there's no end to the list of really bad websites out there, created by individual inventors, and my job involves establishment of online presence and capability. So I think I can design a really good website, though I'll probably outsource the initial programming, while retaining rights to the source code, to I can change it by myself later.

I've actually been very informally maintaining my wife's website, which is a whole other story. She and her neighbor have started a computer training and safe use business for children and adults, starting first with Kindergartners and Word/Excel training for adults. We've set up an in-home computer center, and it's all called 'WhizKids LLC'. This should be pretty successful, and I certainly look to the exercise to help 'test run' various marketing and business methods involved with starting a home business, and will apply the lessons learned to the business of my invention. In fact, there are some very interesting 'cross-selling' and 'cross-testing' opportunities, as well as 'cross-collaboration' opportunities. Developing a home-based business can really benefit from collaborating with all the others in your community, who are in various stages of creating their own businesses, or offering local/online services to those who are.

Another interesting development is a neighbor I grew up with in NJ has evidently obtained a patent for a meatball cooker, several years ago, and has just now started focus-testing it. Another in my neighborhood appears to have created and trademarked a business that could reference my invention. Between these persons and others online I've shared information with, it appears there's opportunity to expand my rapidly expanding online virtual community to some other actual inventors. Perhaps an opportunity for additional cross-selling and marketing exists. The online Inventor community is very vibrant, active and useful.

Lots of converging stories to this Invention saga; probably should write a book. In fact, isn't this Blog the starting point for that?

(8) Return from Hiatus

2005-10-22T10:39:00.000-04:00

From this blog perspective, I've taken a vacation from the invention process - but actually have still been very part-time making incremental progress. It's very slow going, if (1) you're not focused on it, (2) there's no immediacy or pressing concern, (3) other extra-curriculars involving children and family get busy, and (4) you're trying to balance concurrent activities on multiple fronts (regarding the invention), while not spending all of the investment pot.

Current update

- The designer I've located has produced initial CAD models of the core component, and, working with me, has finalized the mechanical structure/design of a few key attachments. It's pretty interesting seeing your invention materialize in a 3-D CAD rendering.

- The Patent Lawyer has finally scheduled a time window to file the patent (just in time, as the provisional patent was filed in November last year). Should be some interesting discussions next week, trying to make sure the claims are broad enough so to avoid 'design-around', and deciding on how to include reference and drawings of all the additional 'embodiments' I've thought of over the past year. That's a key point; don't file the patent until you're very certain of all the ways someone could attack your problem, and the various design/embodiment perspectives. Also, through the rough prototyping and software design process, you run into slight issues and some fundamental design shifts, that need to be reflected in the patent.

- The designer has suggest a 'printer' for the initial set of prototype (plastic) parts; appears will be very much cheaper than classic injection molding prototying.

- A very integral part of the item has taken me a surprisingly long time to locate; several months of Internet searching, emails, phone calls, trips to retail stores, etc. has turned up only a handful of possible suppliers, who can further customize their core product to my needs. My needs are specific from a capability perspective, but I need the component to fulfill 'low' and 'high' end markets, i.e. cheap ones and expensive ones. The whole concept is to produce something that's cheap and consumable (the core revenue stream and marketing concept), on a Walmart shelf, but also can be extended via options, accessories and more expensive, durable parts to a whole product line, cheap to expensive. The invention itself really isn't glamorous, but a very fundamental solution that ought to be commoditized to some extent, either separately or in conjunction with the market and products associated.

- Have made a whole 'parts list' diagram and assembly instructions; it's pretty interesting once this is done, how many little decisions and design alternatives come up. My objective is to (a) create an assembly of components that's easy to use with minimal or no construction, yet (b) enable those who wish to, to 'mix and match' or customize the assembly for particular needs. Serve both the general, 'non-participatory' public and the focused, interested specialist.

- In terms of publicity and marketing, I've assembled a large list of benefits, possible safety issues that will need to be addressed (from a product liability perspective), target test labs and certifications, possible dealers/licensors, possible trade shows (like JPMA), and a long list of those possibly helpful in the online community. This means interest groups, message boards, product review sites, related distributors and retailers, etc. Altogether, I'm pretty sure I can launch, market and sell the product successfully on my own, with an Internet retail site, given the preponderance of forums available to have the product exposed and critiqued (hopefully positively!).

- A very helpful inventor's group (and I've research them all!) turns out to be Inved.org; lots of good advice and discussion, avoidance of advertising/spam, not for profit, all people who are just like I am. I browse the message board here several times a day, and have read all the past archives. Another newer site is inventorhq.com, which is a bit more commercial in nature, though the message board is well facilitated and free of agenda.

- I've looked into the various Inventor contests; most end up with you, as an inventor, relinquishing all licensing/marketing/selling rights, possibly turning over your patent, losing exclusivity (assigning to the contest backers), and altogether not seeming like a good idea for someone interested in creating a long-term market and business with the invention. These are a good idea for the casual inventor, who doesn't want to 'own' the business around the invention, but just wants some publicity and a license agreement. Now some of these contests, by specific retailers, may make sense - if they are a true target and good representative of the qualities of your invention. In my case, I may seriously consider the Hammacher Schlemmer contest, next time it runs - if I can retain long-term patent rights, and the product proves itself in initial testing. One contest I would have like to have dealt with, was sponsored by ABC and Mominventors - the only problem is that (1) you lose exclusivity in licensing your patent, and (2) I'm not a Mom Inventor - but a Dad Inventor. Have actually emailed with the ParentsofInvention people, and executed an NDA with them to see if they were interested in helping with the product - but they referred me to related retail manufacturers. I think the main reason was that my invention was not mature or formulated enough for them to invest any time in considering.

- One invention contest that just came up, though, looks really promising. The History Channel's "Modern Marvels" Invent Now challenge; it's all about the invention and inventor's story, and not at all about licensing or seeking control and exclusivity of the product. Will very likely be entering this one, so long as the patent filing get done in time (the contest ends Dec. 31), and I'm confident my product will sell (having by then done some initial trials, tests, and focus group marketing).

So, though overall progress seems slow, a whole lot of moving parts have blossomed, and need to addressed in 'spurts' during my off time; I'm trying to accelerate a little as the idea seems much more real and likely to make money, and our Disney Vacation is coming up. I think I may be able to take a prototype with me and do some testing there.

In the meantime I'm dealing with an interesting development; birthparents! Very interesting and exciting story, to be continued. The day job has also expanded, into a North America-wide Homeland Security initiative; therefore there's no end to the number of things that can take my mind and activity off the invention process. What I expect to do, however, is make determined, incremental process on each front of the invention, making sure to establish some progress each week. And I continue to scour the Internet (every day!) for any developments in my target area - it's amazing that there still aren't any solutions like mine available yet, but plenty of complaints and alternative methods.

(7) Time Flies

2005-02-27T09:03:00.000-05:00

Well, time really flies if you don't pay attention. Been working far to hard on the 'day' job to pursue the invention, but have finally scheduled time with the designer to produce a prototype. I did order a fairly similar product online, to be delivered to my home, to try out as a concept. I was also very interested in the packaging, additional materials, directions, method of assembly, etc. The product was really only useful to those with extreme need, and mechanical inclination. The extreme need was weather-related (i.e. snow), though the product was advertised to overcome other terrain issues. The attachment mechanism was full of straps and bolts and screws; not a very 'ad hoc' mechanism. Therefore, my particular target audience should be more inclusive than that of this product.

Here it is March, and I'm still searching all over the web for related products, inventions, issues, etc. concerning this invention, and still no 'hits'. I am however, getting somewhat nervous that (1) another inventor is dealing with this, secretly, under patent pending status, and (2) the longer I wait to submit the 'rea' patent, the more likely it is some manufacturer will come up with something that I will be unable to realistically defend.

This second point comes from reading yesterday about the death of the fellow that invented the automobile intermittent wiper, and who spent nearly 30 years trying to defend the patent and collect royalties. He was ultimately successful, but pretty much lost his marriage, livelihood, most of the proceeds, etc. Don't want to be in that situation.

I would note that one somewhat selfish reason for this blog, is for additional invention documentation purposes; although the product isn't revealed yet, the collective 'story' should support the invention claim, and the pending patent.

(6) Timeline

2005-02-12T13:05:00.000-05:00

Interesting to note, that as I dated some recently faxed files, it was halfway through February. One of the documents I faxed, which held some of my original drawings, was dated 8/4/2004; pretty amazing how much time it all takes. It is important, however, to simply keep at it, little by little, because things do fall into place with a plan and patience. As many say, it's a marathon, not a sprint.

(5) Multiple Fronts

2005-02-12T08:13:00.000-05:00

This week was very productive; finally reaching out and getting buy-in and participation from a selected few. Somewhat apprehensive about truly sharing all the ideas, background, intentions etc., but feel protected by having taken methodical actions. These include executing an NDA with a designer, and following through on patent lawyer discussions AFTER the provisional patent was submitted and accepted.

Regarding the NDA, I first searched around online and kept coming back to patentcafe.com...they had a variety of NDA types, and I ordered three (for dealing with a lawyer, for dealing with a designer, and for continual correspondence with anyone). All had to be edited slightly, and the patentcafe disclaimers removed. When I sent one of these proposed NDAs to the designer, he immediately responded that he wasn't quite ready to deal with such a complicated NDA, so he sent me one back that he's used to using. From 3 pages to 3 sentences; the lesson learned is that an experienced designer will likely have a usable NDA.

The designer was found first through an Internet search. I looked for plastic prototype manufacturers and designers, located in Virginia. Eventually came across the online Thomas Register, which has been since an invaluable source of information regarding manufacturers, potential suppliers of materials and information regarding parts, etc. This site led me to a fairly local design/prototyping shop, who said they couldn't immediately help, but would refer my request to some who could. The local shop was owned by someone with a good industry reputation and many appearances/publications (as confirmed by Google), so I was confident that my correspondence would be held in confidence. My initial correspondence, including an excerpt from the provisional patent and the drawings, were created by faxing the drawings to an online service Maxemail (which creates a .PDF file as email), and emailing the information via secure channel directly to the owner. Thus I had an audit trail of items sent and received. The materials were labeled 'proprietary and confidential to myself', and other markings to the effect that these are intended only for direct use by the recipient, and any other use prohibited.

Note many of the ideas and instruction for embarking on this journey were guided very adequately not only by online sources, but by the publication "Patent it Yourself", a NOLO publication by David Pressman. Excellent resource, got me all the way through submission of the provisional patent.

The phone conversation with the lawyer's office was very productive. I had paid $450 for a patent search, after finding a reputable patent-centric law office online and in the area. The patent search was successful, in that it validated my idea was in fact a new one. This was a very heady revelation, to understand that one has just thought of an idea not yet thought of (or at least publically revealed) anywhere in the civilized world, since patents themselves were invented. Very cool. The search results were prepared in a very thick binder, over 40 relevant items, which did relate to varying extents to my idea, but none were really close at all. The Law Office recommended proceeding with a non-provisional patent application.

The conversation with this office was with a licensed patent agent, someone who had been a USPTO Patent Examiner and was not therefore nearly as expensive as an actual patent attorney (more appropriate for defending your patent, or dealing with a very complex one). I had searched for patent lawyers online, and ran across this class of professional; the law firm I eventually contacted had both, and this person was the first to review my 'docket' or case, and provide all the information I'd need to proceed. More on that conversation later.

The conversation with the designer yielded several references for initial consultation (mostly independent persons who could more or less work with me in limited stages). I contacted one (after again consulting Google; this outfit, their owner and their website held up to critical scrutiny and obvious industry acceptance). After several back and forths, including again emailing some of my PPA content (after an NDA exchange), I spoke at length about the idea. The designer was very intrigued by the idea, and in fact went looking around his house a couple of times during the conversation to run down further ideas or explanation to help understand the concept. Next step was some additional market research, then to meet in person with the designer, and have him prepare a proposal for the first stage of our relationship, a proof-of-concept model with which to examine elements of the idea relating to physics, stress, target market segment, size, placement, and overall utility. He quoted $120/hr for about 20-25 hours worth of work, which included creating a working model out of various parts and aluminum, using all his shop tools.

At this time, presented with two major expenses (proceeding to file the non-provisional patent, which would cost around $8000, and take up to 2 years), and shelling out up to $3000 for the working model, I'm electing to do the model first....it's important in my opinion to make sure of the item to be patented, such that the non-provisional can be as accurate as possible. Plus, I need to make headway on producing an actual product, before anyone else (though I do have patent-pending protection), and perhaps some revenue.

(4) Search Results

2005-02-04T05:34:00.000-05:00

Paid $450 to a patent-related Law Firm I found online to execute a patent search; mainly to corroborate my own online searches with things I may not have found, along with foreign patents and older patents not published online. Success! Nobody in the entire world seems to have come up with my idea, although there were some that were close (but no cigar!). It's an amazing feeling, unless of course there are several patent pending efforts going on there already, that simply haven't been published. We'll see, over the next several years.

The Patent search included about 30 somewhat-relevant results; all of which I'll have to reference to some degree as 'prior art', and then also reference in terms of improvments my own invention makes on them. An improvements there are, in terms of design, utility, usefulness, usage, etc.

I had been making incremental steps at getting a designer to consult with and start down the prototyping road; first step was putting together an NDA. Waiting for the search results had delayed this activity somewhat; now with this professional validation (although not guaranteed!) that my invention is patentable and in fact unique (though not necessarily marketable!), progress will accelerate on the NDA and design/prototyping stages.

(3) Checking things out

2005-01-18T07:12:00.000-05:00

Went to the store today to do some recon. Took my father, who has a long history of business experience to leverage, as well as some good ideas regarding the product. We surveyed the target product discipline; absolutely no hint of progress in the direction we're thinking. I think the many vendors in this area won't really be happy about our direction. In fact, maybe it'll cause some major overhauling.

After the wine festival, some time in my garage led to confirmation of my idea. Spent most of Sunday thinking and drawing, in between domestic responsibilities, rummaging around the house and assembling, with bits of wood, plastic, rubber, velcro. The final 'assembly' seemed useful. It was apparent, however, that several 'embodiments' were likely, some more complex than others. The preferred embodiment was the more widely useful one, so that's where I concentrated. As these ideas materialized, I was constantly checking the online sources for evidence of this idea, commercial manifestations, 'prior art', actual patents, etc. Still nothing.

I used Google, Vivisimo (good classifier), Dogpile (good aggregator), the USPTO.gov search, ESP@CENET (European patent search), and followed many threads of discussion and practice.

Also started searching for best practices in the invention process.

Before that Sunday, I hadn't probably used the word embodiment since studying for the SATs. "Prior Art" I hadn't heard before. Time to get a book.

(2) In retrospect

2005-01-16T08:06:00.000-05:00

From here on, this journal is real-time; the story is right now retrospective about two months.

Returning from the wine festival, the Universal Public Library was immediately consulted. Certainly my idea had been invented already in Taiwan, in Sweden, in Ashburn VA, somwhere. I'm a regular guy, with regular needs and typically regular ideas. Fifteen minutes of fame happens once in a while, in contexts shared only by a close circle of friends, family and passers-by. Clients seem to like my work, but the President hasn't noticed yet.

Nothing. Zero. Zilch. Nada. "Vat ist der? Notink, Herr Kolonel..I zee notink!!" Good news, but maybe bad. Is it a stupid idea? Invented two hundred years ago and sold at Walmart already, and thus as undeserving of comment and discussion as hand soap? Or perhaps a vast government conspiracy to keep the idea from the hands of the Democrats.

It appears this idea hasn't been thought of, hasn't been invented, hasn't been patented, anywhere - but nuggets of issue whirl all around; many have the same problem I do. That's what Google says.

(1) It started when...

2005-01-15T13:44:00.000-05:00

...we were going to a wine festival, everyone. Leaving the car, looking around, rallying the troops, something really annoyed me. Looked like my annoyance was somewhat shared, perhaps somewhat common, but not sure. That little lightbulb started warming my forehead, competing with the opening of exit lanes for brain cells to be driven out shortly. Good wine, lots of whine, the bulb blinks bright on - need to think through this later.