In many cases, a TIE Interest Group may determine that the best approach is to take a TIE idea or a provisional patent already held by a TIE member or by TIE directly, and work it into a formal, complete patent application to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Group members can contribute to the patent application process in many ways:
· help in performing a “patent search”, which involves…
o looking for similar ideas that have already been patented
o identifying similar patents' names and identifying numbers
o identifying what characteristics are similar to the TIE idea
· create the working diagrams used to support patent applications
· write the “claims” which must be presented as the patent application
· bring new members into the TIE Interest Group to join in and contribute to the project
· contribute toward the cost of the USPTO’s patent application fee of $1500
· other ways as appropriate to the particular project
All members of the group benefit from any project which begins to generate income, according to the agreed value of the effort they put into the project.