On Disclosing Your Idea Publicly!

It is extremely important not to publicly disclose your invention, for example by including details on your website, before you’ve filed a patent application. Any disclosures that you make become part of the “prior art” and could be cited against you when your patent application is examined by the Patent Office. So, in a worst-case scenario your own disclosures could preclude you from getting a patent through to grant.

Now, in some circumstances you may find yourself needing to disclose information to someone outside of your company, e.g., to an investor, to a developer etc. A confidentiality arrangement is vital in such circumstances but if possible, think about filing a patent application before you make the disclosure.