If you're considering patenting your product or idea, you may be following in the footsteps of celebrities like Michael Jackson, Zeppo Marx, Eddie Van Halen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Harry Connick Jr. and others. Everyone, like the 10 celebrity icons listed in this article, has good ideas – and a patent attorney can help make yours a valuable reality.

Celebrity patents

You may be surprised that the following 10 celebrities all have patents filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Here are their names and patented inventions:

1. Michael Jackson, Singer.
   Patent #5,255,452 — Method and means for creating anti-gravity illusion
2. Eddie Van Halen, Musician. Patent #4,656,917 — Musical instrument support
3. Zeppo Marx, Actor/Comedian.
   Patent #3,473,526 — Cardiac pulse rate monitor
4. Harry Connick, Jr., Musician/Actor.
   Patent #6,348,648 — System and method for coordinating music display among players in an orchestra
5. Lawrence Welk, Musician/Bandleader.
   Patent #D170,898 — Welk ash tray
6. Jamie Lee Curtis, Actress.
   Patent #4,753,647 — Infant garment
7. Penn Jillette, (of Penn & Teller) Magician.
   Patent #5,920,923 — Hydro-therapeutic stimulator
8. Abraham Lincoln, President.
   Patent #6,469 — [Method of] Buoying vessels over shoals
9. Marlon Brando, Actor.
   Patent #6,812,392 — Drumhead tensioning device and method
10. Prince, Musician/Singer.
    Patent #D349,127 — Portable electronic keyboard musical instrument

What can an experienced patent attorney do for you?

An experienced patent attorney can explain how the patent process works, what it costs, how long it takes and answer any questions you might have. Applying for a patent can be extremely technical and cumbersome and attorneys who practice patent law generally limit their practice to this area alone. If you've got an invention, contact an experienced patent law attorney to discuss it without charge or obligation.