How to Invent and Protect Your Invention - A Guide to Patents for Scientists and Engineers

A straightforward guide to inventing, patenting, and technology commercialization for scientists and engineersAlthough chemists, physicists, biologists, polymer scientists, and engineers in industry are involved in potentially patentable work, they are often under-prepared for this all-important field. This book provides a clear, jargon-free, and comprehensive overview of the patenting process tailored specifically to the needs of scientists and engineers, including:

• Requirements for a patentable invention
• How to invent
• New laws created by President Obama's 2011 America Invents Act
• The process of applying for and obtaining a patent in the U.S. and in foreign countries
• Commercializing inventions and the importance of innovation

Based on lecture notes refined over twenty-five years at The University of Akron, How to Invent and Protect Your Invention contains practical advice, colorful examples, and a wealth of personal experience from the authors.


JOSEPH P. KENNEDY, PhD, MBA, FACS, is a Distinguished Professor of Polymer Science and Chemistry at The University of Akron. He has authored four scientific books and more than 700 publications, and is the inventor of more than 100 issued U.S. patents, which have generated billions of dollars in revenue. His research interests include ionic polymerization and the design and creation of useful polymeric materials, particularly for medical applications.WAYNE H. WATKINS, BS (engineering), MBA, JD, is Associate Vice President for Research at The University of Akron, adjunct professor of law, and Vice President of the University of Akron Research Foundation where he leads technology commercialization initiatives. He has particular expertise in intellectual property management and new enterprise creation and growth. He is a principal in three companies in chemistry and biotechnology.
ELYSE N. BALL, BS (journalism), JD, is a Project Manager for the University of Akron Research Foundation where she regularly works on technology licensing projects and supporting university startup companies. She is involved in technology development in the polymer science, advanced energy, and biomedical fields.