Written by two successful inventors who have multiple patents for their inventions, this completely revised and updated edition of Patent Secrets explains the three major avenues you can take to legally protect your invention. In addition to providing a detailed road map of the patent process, the authors explain why a patent is no guarantee of wealth for the inventor and may not offer much legal protection from a practical standpoint. They also explain the perils and pitfalls of seeking investors and licensing your product to a third party. Finally, they give you the lowdown on how to protect your invention yourself for next to nothing. You'll also learn how to determine whether your idea will fly, work out the kinks before you get the ball rolling, apply for grant money to help finance the development of your invention and three critical rules of thumb you must adhere to before you even consider pursuing a patent.