So, you’ve come up with a valuable invention – now you must protect it to earn the money you deserve from it. In the modern world, you can do it with how to file a patent, which is basically a governing body providing you with the right to file a complaint against those who attempt to use your invention for monetary gain (an infringer).
If you’re an inventor living in the United States, make sure you know how to get a patent. However, you may already know that only the inventor of the idea has the permission to do so. The filing process is not convenient either and your application has a chance of facing rejection. It may not be a bad idea to look for patent attorneys for help in drafting and filing the patent application.
Learn About Online Patent Application Types
Before you proceed with your patent application (that costs money), pay a visit to the USPTO (the United States Patent and Trademark Office). They have a search function to help users check whether their idea is actually original.
Once you’ve determined your idea is original, it’s time to find out what kind of online patent application you have to file. Your application could fall under one of three categories:
- Utility Patent: This is what most inventors turn to as it applies to inventions that serve one or more specific functions.
- Design Patent: This type of application covers non-functional aspects of a product, such as a product surface.
- Plant Patent: This type of patent provides protection to plants that can grow through asexual reproduction. Remember, a patent is different from a trademark or copyright, each of which has its own set of laws.
Although you can file a provisional patent application via this website or by mail, the process takes a long time to complete. In fact, it typically takes at least a year or two for your patent to receive approval. Approval is based on the nature of the technology and the type of application your invention involves.
How to File a Patent: Things You Will Need
A patent application involves several different elements, including the drawings of the invention and its specification. In case you want to know how to file a patent, take a look at the list given below of the components of a specification in a formal, non-provisional application:
- Abstract
- Background
- Summary
- Title of the invention
- Detailed description
- Crossreferences to applications
- List of figures included in the drawings
- Conclusion, ramifications and scope
Your claims will be available on display after you’ve completed the specification and are arguably one of the most important parts of your online patent application.
Patent Filing Process
The process of patent filing is pretty simple. The application must contain the details like the type of invention and how it can benefit others. With the help of filing the complete application form, one can proceed with their application. Ideally, the application form needs full details and claim related to the invention.
The application will then go to the federal agency to publish the application request to get the rights over the invention. Meanwhile, they will examine your application request to ascertain the scope of the patent. They will also check whether your application meets the requirement to get the patent.
During the patent examination process, the examiner scrutinizes the application. It will check if everything goes according to the patent law. If something is wrong, the examiner will state the issues against the patent application.
In Conclusion
Once you’ve developed your invention, the hard part of filing the patent process begins. It can get overwhelming for a layman to understand some of the terms or procedures involved in patent filing. Additionally, you can even end up making a wrong claim, wasting lots of precious money, time, and effort in the process.
That’s why, if you want to know more about all the things a patent application requires, make sure you consult a patent attorney. They can save you a lot of money, stress, and hassle during the process.
Obtaining a patent has many advantages as it helps the inventor earn a profit on their unique products. The patent system rewards inventors for their contributions. It also ensures that their efforts do not go waste by providing them exclusive rights.
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