Does anyone have any experience obtaining patents? How difficult was it, and how long did it take? I have an idea that could possibly save fishermen a lot of money and headaches. I am talking to a mechanical engineer at the university where I work, and I believe he may be able to bring my idea to life. I understand that I must have a working prototype in order to obtain a patent, but my idea is not so much for a new product, but a modification to an existing product. I wonder if I could use the existing product with my modifications, or would I have to build the whole thing from the ground up? Here is an example of what I'm talking about: If I invented a new trigger mechanism for a gun, could I replace the old trigger with my own, or would I have to build a whole gun? I know I could do some research and find the answer to my question (and I will), but I'm just wondering if anyone has any experience with patents.