Is there likely a patent involved in this?

[Xanque]

What is the name of your state?pa

The National Star Registry has a "service" where they will name a star after a customer's loved one for a nominal fee. The star will forever be recognized by NASA as the named recipient's star.

I don't want to make a clone company of the National Star Registry per se, but since it's not really a good or a service, more of an idea-Can ideas such as this be patented or would this really be classified as a service ?

For instance, in all likelihood, did the National Star Registry get a patent on the idea of naming the stars (THEN they probably got NASA involved)? Like , if I was to think of the idea before the NSR , could I have gotten it patented so NASA would be inclined to recognize the stars as named after my customers?

AGAIN, NOT interested in making a clone company of the NSR. It's just the closest thing I can think of to my actual idea.

 

[divgradcurl]

What is the name of your state?pa

The National Star Registry has a "service" where they will name a star after a customer's loved one for a nominal fee. The star will forever be recognized by NASA as the named recipient's star.

I don't want to make a clone company of the National Star Registry per se, but since it's not really a good or a service, more of an idea-Can ideas such as this be patented or would this really be classified as a service ?

For instance, in all likelihood, did the National Star Registry get a patent on the idea of naming the stars (THEN they probably got NASA involved)? Like , if I was to think of the idea before the NSR , could I have gotten it patented so NASA would be inclined to recognize the stars as named after my customers?

AGAIN, NOT interested in making a clone company of the NSR. It's just the closest thing I can think of to my actual idea.

Business plans are generally unpatentable. Business methods may be patentable. The differences between the two may be subtle -- a plan to sell star names is almost certainly not patentable (but, then again, the USPTO does allow some pretty crazy patents), but a "method for selling star names" is, in principle, patentable -- but it would have to be a lot more than just selling star names -- there would have to be some useful "structure" behind the idea.

"Ideas" alone are not patentable -- there has to be more than that. If you think you may have something that you would like to protect, consider consulting with a patent attorney or agent (and agent will probably be cheaper, although maybe you can get a free consult).

Also, you could simply search the USPTO database at www.uspto.gov to see if the NSR does have a patent...

 

[Some Random Guy]

two points.

First, the star registry thing is a scam if you're being told that the names are recognized by NASA http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,49345,00.html

Second. The easiest way to go about doing this is to come up with an idea, plan it out so you can get the business moving quickly, then contact the NASA-type company with a business opportunity that you describe to them under NDA. Then get your business up and running smoothly so that you can outpace any copycat rivals.

As soon as you get started, trademark your name and the name of your service. Enforce those trademarks if others try to get similarly named companies or services.