ABA consumer guide to obtaining a patent : a practical resource for helping entrepreneurs & innovators protect their ideas / Rich Goldstein ; illustrations by Thom Wright.

Do you need a patent?
Can you get a patent?
Is your invention really new?
How can filing a patent application protect your invention?
How does the patent system work?
What goes into a patent application?
Losing the right to patent and other pitfalls to avoid
Should you file a provisional patent application first?
After the application is filed
Working with a patent attorney
What is it going to cost?
Getting your idea across
Developing your idea
Having a plan to profit from your patent
Infringement : what to know and what to do
Alternative protections : trademark, copyright, trade secret
Patenting software and apps
Marketing your idea
Utility patent example
Design patent example.