Ideas Are Not Inventions
Many people think there is no real difference between having an Idea and having an Invention. They think that Idea and Invention is one in the same. The fact is – there is a major difference. A lot of people have Ideas while very few have Inventions.
An Idea is generally defined as “a formulated thought,” while an Invention is “a device, contrivance, or process originated after study and experiment.” An Idea is a thought. An Invention is a device. An Idea cannot be touched. An Invention is a physical object. An Idea does nothing more than stimulate further thought and discussion. An Invention performs a task. Ideas are therefore not Inventions, but an Idea needs to exist before there can be an Invention.
One particularly popular Idea that I review almost daily is a Locating System. Hopeful inventors submit their invention idea for finding a lost remote control, or lost car keys, or a lost pacifier, or even lost children. They propose attaching a miniature transceiver to an item, that when lost, permits a person to simply depress a centrally located button that will wirelessly locate the lost article. It’s a great idea with a large potential market. Everyone has lost something in the sofa cushions, or in an old coat, or wherever, and went crazy trying to find it.
In our Locating System example, the Idea is to locate lost personal items wirelessly by depressing a central button. Losing personal items in the house is a problem that the inventor observed for which an Idea for a possible solution was formulated. That’s the beginning of most every Invention. The Idea gets closer to being an Invention when the inventor describes using a transceiver attached to an item that can wirelessly communicate with a centralized station. But it only becomes a real Invention, when the inventor can take the Idea and compose an engineering specification showing how a product can be made along with an electrical/electronic schematic. Of course, everyone is not an engineer and many inventors will need various levels of assistance; but at the very least, the inventor needs to provide some technical direction for degreed engineers to enable an Idea into an Invention.
Brookstone offers in their retail stores and online a Wireless Key Finder. The retailer describes the product on their website as, “No more misplaced keys–our new wireless key finder locates your lost keys with just the press of a button. Simply press one of the color-coded pager buttons on the compact wireless transmitter, and the matching key fob will answer with a loud, clear alarm from anywhere in your home.” Brookstone has turned the Idea of a system for finding lost items into an Invention that can be purchased and used.
Does this mean that no one else can ever invent another lost article finder system? The answer is “no.” Every product in every product classification has competition. There is always room for the “new and improved” version. To be a real inventor, all you need to do is think of an Idea to improve on the competition, and come up with an Invention that is better.
1. InventSAI
2. Ad-Gen
3. Montgomery Patent and Design
I think a great thing for inventors to do if they can is to take their “idea” and try their best to make an actual “invention” prototype to try it out. A lot of things that sound great in your head may not be quite as you thought when you’re actually using the invention.
I’ve seen a lot of inventors who built a rough version of their invention, identified some problems they hadn’t thought of, and ended up with some modifications or even something completely different…but it almost always ended up better than their original idea, and it certainly never got any worse.
To build a better mousetrap. This is the goal. So to improve, design one that attaches to keys, one that is credit card sized for the wallet, and maybe one that sticks to your remote control, oh, even a AA battery pack that beeps…
Really, the first to the plate is insignificant to the money backing it. But however all this sounds, remember one key point. If you generate ideas, never stop. Ideas are what dreams a built of. Have fun with it, above all else. Honestly, it is your satisfaction and approval you seek.
-JohnFoolery
This article is interesting to me! I had an idea that actually was able to be made for me to test. It worked great!!! I then took it to a patton attourney and he did a small search. We found an item that he felt was too close to my idea that is patton pending. My problem is the slight difference between that one and mine changes the outcome of the final look. I was told at this time…there is nothing i can do. For me, this doesn’t make sense. I have an item that myself, my daughter and many family members are begging to use. It just doesn’t seem right when I see so many items out there that are so close to other inventions. For example, all the different versions of the Snuggie. They’re all blankets with arms! How is this any different from mine? Anyway…thanks for listening!!!!!