Who can I inform about my idea/invention, and what measures should I take?

It is vital for inventors and businesses to maintain the confidentiality of their invention until they have made the decision to patent it. In the United States, if a patent application is filed more than one year after the invention was publicly disclosed or offered for sale, the inventor may be unable to obtain a patent for their unique invention. To prevent any public disclosure, inventors should insist that others sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (“NDA”), thereby preventing the disclosure to a third party from becoming a public disclosure.