This article describes a structured-interview technique in which an inventor and I can write a complete draft patent application in a single, intensely-focused day. We start by sketching one or more resource-flow diagrams that systematically show how the invention accomplishes something useful. Then, using a laptop, we methodically draft written explanations for each item shown in the diagrams, in complete sentences. We also craft a set of claims, making sure the inventor is happy with the exact wording. This interview technique takes longer than the traditional approach, but it has proved quite popular: Inventors like being able to provide real-time feedback, so that they don’t later have to correct a lawyer “term paper” that’s likely full of gaps and misunderstandings. In a pinch, we could complete and file the patent application in one day if necessary; supervisors and managers like that.
Read the Article at:
Structured inventor interviews: How to collaborate in writing a complete draft patent application in one intense day