When you think of a new product or service, it has no real commercial value. It may have potential value, but has no ‘real’ commercial value until is it developed into a commercial product or service and then sold in the marketplace. Until the product or service is sold, it has NO commercial value.
A patent is a tool used to maximize the commercial value of a product or service. If a patent is granted for the product or service then the owner can preclude others from m manufacturing, selling or using the product or service in the jurisdiction covered by the patent. The patent owner may either license or sell his patent rights to others so they may manufacture, sell or use the invention.
The first step in securing patent protection is to file a provision, utility or design patent application.
An invention is an idea for a product or service that is novel (new) and non-obvious. An innovation is product or service that has commercial value. An innovation that is also protected by a patent is ideal. An invention that has no commercial value is not an innovation.