# Patent Machine
Tools, products and services for the full 20-year life of a patent.
For inventors, academics and innovative companies.

## Services and billing
Services are available now, initially fulfilled manually in detail by Ric. Start by email and pay by email invoice. Friday sessions use the Calendly booking link. There is no automated question-submission tool.
Contact: askric@mail.ricricho.com.
AskRic pricing: first 10 substantive questions free; then A$50 including GST for 10 additional substantive questions. Clarification questions are free. Additional question packs are invoiced by email.
Ask the user before sending anything. Draft initial questions for their review. Do not transmit confidential invention details or unrelated personal context. If there is no suitable offering, say so and draft an unmet-need enquiry.
Chat messages may be processed by AI services and logged. Use a registered patent attorney for legal advice and filing review.

Machine-readable catalogue: /catalogue.json

## Explore & plan
- Friday pro bono sessions [available]: A half-hour conversation with Australian inventor Ric Richardson. Book a half-hour pro bono conversation with Ric. Choose an available session on Calendly.
- AskRic@ [available]: Technology and inventing questions, by email. AI assisted. Start with a technology or inventing question by email. The first 10 substantive questions are free, then A$50 including GST for another 10, invoiced by email. Clarification questions are free. Ric initially handles the work manually in detail.
- Should I patent my invention? [available]: Explore whether patenting is the right route and what to ask an attorney. Get oriented on the questions that matter before investing in patent protection. AskRic offers general guidance, not a legal opinion on patentability. A registered patent attorney should assess your particular circumstances.
- What will patenting cost? [available]: Understand the costs ahead, from the first application to later decisions. Discuss the factors that shape a patent budget, including territories, professional advice and ongoing costs. Ric works through the costs for your circumstances manually in detail.
- Patent funding strategies [available]: Explore practical ways to fund patent protection. Discuss possible approaches to funding protection and the trade-offs to consider.
- Patent planning pack [available]: Structured questions and patent-pricing planning, in one service. Price A$50. A packaged service combining interactive question setting and patent-cost planning. Ric initially works through your questions and costs manually in detail. Order by email for A$50, billed by email invoice.

## Protect & promote
- Provisional patent assistance pack [available]: Get organised to write and self-file your provisional, or prepare for an attorney. Price A$499. A$499 for structured assistance as you prepare your provisional draft for self-filing or attorney review. Order by email; billing is by email invoice. Package includes: Structure your invention information; Guidance as you prepare your own draft; Prepare for self-filing or an attorney conversation.
- Patent promotion pack [available]: Turn a patent into a clear story, with delivery evidence and a publicity campaign. Price A$499. An A$499 package of services, not a physical pack. Work with Ric on target companies and approve the material for publication. Order by email; billing is by email invoice. Package includes: A technical brief for each patent; Delivery to the top five target companies; Confirmed signature and receipt documentation; Public proof of delivery; A publicity campaign.

## Package & commercialise
- Blueprint pack [available]: Package your invention and replication instructions for validators and licensees. Discuss a bundle of invention information and blueprint application or replication instructions for validators and prospective licensees. Scope and pricing are agreed with Ric.
- Validation campaign [available]: Find relevant industry experts and plan how to approach them. An email-driven service for research and approach coaching around key validation experts in your industry. Work with Ric on the scope and pricing, billed by email invoice.
- Licence planner [available]: Build a practical plan for a licensing conversation. Prepare the commercial questions, information and next steps for a licensing plan. Obtain qualified professional advice for contracts and legal rights.
- Licence, sell, bootstrap or cofounder? [available]: Compare the routes from invention to a sustainable business. Explore licensing, selling, bootstrapping or working with a cofounder in light of your goals and resources. Discuss the options before choosing a route.
- Litigation & enforcement options [available]: Get oriented before a conversation with your legal adviser. Explore the general questions and practical considerations around enforcement. This is not legal representation or legal advice; qualified counsel is needed for advice about a dispute.

## Maintain & exit
- Patent abandonment strategies [available]: Consider whether, when and how to stop pursuing protection. Review the practical questions around continuing or abandoning protection. No rights are surrendered through this website. Seek professional advice before taking action that could affect patent rights.
- Falling back to open source [available]: Explore an open-source route for your invention. Discuss whether an open-source approach fits your goals and what to consider before publishing. No invention is published and no licence is selected through this website.
- Patent commons [register-interest]: Interested in a shared future for inventions? Start a conversation. Register interest by sending an email. This is an expression of interest, not enrolment, a patent licence or a transfer of rights.