Emotional Trouble Trying to Protect my Intellectual Property

[slumberland]

My post turned out to be way too long and detailed so I'm deleting it and will re-write later. I am so sorry for inconvenience. To make a long story short I may have made a mistake when I had a professional consultation a while back without requesting a non-disclosure agreement. Now I'm trying to do some damage control.

Also, I am struggling to create design patent drawings tonight. I feel quite intimidated by the process.

I have been following Steve's blog for years and also Erin's, and feel like a part of this community though I've been pretty much hidden. This is not the ideal way to introduce myself but hello anyway!

I always thought I'd head towards the metaphysical section of this site first.

[BitterFlower]

Good luck and speed on the patent drawings, slumberland. Don't focus your (negative) energy on the fact that someone had access to your ideas. It's a concern, but right now it's blocking the task that you need to complete now.

Focus on positive thoughts (I love greatday.com) each day before you complete your task.If possible, break it into chunks so it won't be so much pressure. Give yourself a reasonable timeline (i.e. a week per drawing). Visualize that time is on your side and that the patent process is a process that will work in your favor.

HTH

[Manomanman]

There's a difference between "ideas" and "work."

Did this person steal your work, or your ideas?

I share my ideas CONSTANTLY because they are worth nothing. If a person wants to steal it, then fine. I should have manifested it physically before he did.

If I take time to create a design document or prototype, and THAT gets stolen, then i'll take legal action.

[slumberland]

Bitterflower, thank you very much for your kind thoughts. I am taking action slowly and feeling a little better today. I will also take some of your advice, I haven't tried visualization or anything like that but reading your suggestion inspired me to try it.

[slumberland]

Manomanman, the projects were at various stages of tangible work - some had prototypes and some did not. Legally, it turns out that I do have some rights in the U.S. because in fact, it is the one country that takes into consideration where an innovation originally came from (though there is a time limit).

Anyhow, I don't want to jump into any conclusions or say anything I am not certain about.

I just recommend all entrepreneurs become legally savvy, even if you have never tried to think that way before. There is a big difference between being creative and being commercial, and/or understanding a cold business world!

[CatP]

I work with patents (on the admin side). I know about the process, and let me tell you: It's is loooooooong and complicated, and requires a patent attorney, tech adviser, etc.

[slumberland]

Thanks CatP, I know and I have also been talking with attorneys. Interestingly they have given me different opinions about the situation.

It turns out you can also call the USPTO but they are not really authorized to give legal advice and each person I spoke with told me something different as well.

I know that is the case with medical offices, everybody has a different perspective, but I thought that legal issues would be more clear-cut.

[Gene]

There seem to be two things that you are confused and overwhelmed by now.

First your emotional trouble is something you can decide to change and stop using your imagination to scare yourself into a panic.

Second is protecting your intellectual property. I am not experienced in this area but I note that an individual who indicates considerable experience in such matters offered advice.

My advice is to separate task number one from task number two and deal with them as individual challenges instead of lumping them together into one big, overwhelming problem. Break it down into smaller tasks and do your best work on both.

[slumberland]

Hi Gene. Thank you very much. I have definitely been scaring myself into a panic.

And you are right, dealing with the emotions and dealing with the actual situation are two different things.

But my emotions have sort of taken over after one of the products has actually shown up on the market and I also learned some info. about the person I consulted with that worried me.

Again I am not jumping to conclusions but it did concern me and then talking to lawyers makes it worse. Because of course all they ever deal with is when things do, in fact, go wrong.

Some of the projects are very, very close to my heart. I feel sick to think I may have talked about them irresponsibly.

Second of all, the technical aspect of all this is complex as well. These are all projects that demand great attention and love. Now I am trying to get them done under pressure and feel myself just shutting down. I don't want to work in this way.

So far, I'm handling the stress by checking up on balloon boy story every once in awhile for distraction. Not good!

Don't feel any obligation to respond unless you're inspired to, your advice is very sound and I'm glad to just get this off my chest a little.