Have you ever applied for a patent?

I have not personally, but have a friend that has several dozen patents. He uses an intellectual property law firm. From conversations, filling is very detail oriented and proper procedures are required to make it successful and that lessens the possibility that challenges will be successful. Some law firms specialize in specific fields, like medicine, chemical, tech, etc. Good LUCK

I’ve done it a few times. Most of the them were through work but a couple were personal. It cost about $10,000 total each time. We also needed coverage in other the EU so that was another few thousand. It was for some emergency medical equipment. The most difficult part was getting the FDA approval for a life support system.

What’s the process for getting a patent anyway?

First go to http://www.uspto.gov/ and spend one hour – yes, one solid hour with no Fluthering, Twittering, tweating, IMing or eating – just going through the site and seeing what it has to offer. As a taxpayer you helped pay for the site. Us it. I don’t know where you live but there is a great program (free) offered by the patent office on April 6 in Alexandria VA. Go to it if you can. You’ll learn a lot.
If you have a clue, you can reduce the price for the patent by 50% by doing some of the work yourself. Don’t pay an attorney $200–300 per hour for things you can do yourself. Even if it takes you 5 times longer you’re still paying yourself $50 an hour. Not a wage to sneeze at.

Thanks very much Lupin.