How to Know If You Need to Patent Your Product You are ready to introduce your invention to the world, but first you should consider whether your new product requires a patent to help make it commercially viable.

Q: I'm ready to step out of my basement workshop and introduce my invention to the world. Do I really need to get a patent first?

A: You've designed a better mousetrap. And you're anxious to get the production and sales processes snapping so you can sooner start counting your profits. Not so fast. You might first want to think about applying for a patent.

Harris A. Wolin, an intellectual property attorney in Morristown, N.J., who has filed patent applications for products ranging from dog toys to lasers, says it's essential for entrepreneurs to consider whether their new product requires a patent to help make it commercially viable. "I've been doing this long enough to know that if you don't have a business discussion, then there's a disconnect," Wolin says.