Do you toil away in an office, garage or basement lab in the hopes of bringing a new widget to life? What will you do when it's alive and kicking? Here's the primer every first-time inventor needs. Packed with plain-English explanations and step-by-step instructions, Nolo's Patent for Beginners defines clearly and simply what a patent is and why you need one. The book shows you *how to document an invention for maximum protection *how to tackle the time-and-money-saving, patent-searching process *the patent application process *who owns a patent *how to avoid patent infringement The 3rd edition is completely updated and revised to reflect current law and court rulings, including the Supreme Court's decision in the controversial "Festo" case. Nolo's Patents for Beginners is a must-have reference book for inventors, educators, entrepreneurs, students, and business people who must deal with and understand patent law.