I call united patent research talked to jack cameron about my idea and he liked it and told me how useful and how easy it would be to make.i sent them $795.00 got a receipt from jackie wilson product manager on feb 3, 2010 and a copy of my new product profolio on feb 19, 2010 and their patent attorney said i should get a us patent, a patent design, a european, and a china patent.i was really impressed with the idea that my product would have a world wide patent. the attorney said there was nothing like my product anywhere in the world.i was very pleased. then i got a letter from george henry asking for another 795.00.i knew i was ripped off. 60 days went by, no contact from united oatent research. then george henry called called asked why they have not heard from me. i told him about the second request for 795.00. he said that was a mistake and i was a very important client to them. so i decided to go ahead. i got an invester. a grandmother on disability raising two grandchildren to pay $12, 500 for US patent and patent design on june 5, 2010 arrived at united patent research on june 7, 2010 confirmed by usps.june 22, 2010 george henry called and asked if i had my investerto send the money.i told him they had they had signed for it 2 weeks ago. i sent them the agreement between my invester and the $12, 500 check. they threw the check away, a $12, 500 certified check. he told me no problem we would wait for the bank to issuea newe one. the bank said 90 days. i sent the check to them so i could be patent pending and my product could have been presented at the las vegas trade show for new products, of course i missed it because they lost my $12, 500 check. i also would miss out on all other trade shows for new products for the summer which they told me was the best time to try to start a new product. george henry called me back said we would have to wait till bank issues new check. i hung up on him. i called united patent research and ask to speak to president or owner of company. i talked to patrick ralston, owner, he said i would have to wait till new checkwas issued by bank. i hung up on him. i knew this was not a very responsible company and by this time my invester, the grandmother on disability raising 2 grandchildren decided not to invest and get her money back, also my other investers decided to cancel. i am a martial arts instructer at a church where we teach karate FREE to mostly underprivledged kids who excell and some of the money would have gone to the church to but equiptment for the kids and maybe a better life for myself.SO IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT A PATENT DO NOT USE UNITED PATENT RESEARCH. THEY WILL RIP YOU OFF AND OR MAYBE LOSE YOU MONEY. THESE PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO TO BE IN BUSINESS