Things You’ll Appreciate Knowing About IP – Patents

Are you planning to get a patent? Obtaining a patent is essential for the protection of your invention. However, it is very important to understand some things including preparing the provisional and non-provisional applications. The process requires seeking professional assistance with the process of a provisional patent application. Getting a properly written patent application is not a do-it-yourself task.

Here’re some important things you must know

Getting a provisional patent application

Online services are available that can help you file a provisional patent application. Inventors have to understand the fee payable to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for filing the provisional patent application. Additionally, you have to pay a patent attorney to assist you to prepare the provisional application. The cost depends on the complexity of your invention.

There is no need to draft claims and prepare formal drawings. Don’t attempt to handle the process of getting a filling date for your provisional application on your own to save on costs. Professional assistance will save you from various pitfalls.

A provisional patent application is not a patent

To file a provisional patent application is not getting patent protection. It is wrong to believe that you can get a provisional patent. Actually, it is just an application to get a provisional patent. Filing a provisional patent application puts you in a queue at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. After about a year, you have to convert the provisional application to a non-provisional application.

Luckily, there’s potential to benefit from getting priority depending on the filing date for the provisional application. You have to budget for the cost of non-provisional patent drafting and conversion from a provisional application. Afterward, you can now file the non-provisional application to be examined for patentability.

Benefit from converting the provisional application

A provisional patent application ceases to be useful after a year. During this time, you have to get it converted to a non-provisional application. Failure to do this within a year means your invention loses “patent pending” status. You will have limited recourse to revive your application to protect your invention. After filing the provisional application, you receive reminders regarding converting the provisional application into a non-provisional application in a year.

So, you have to appreciate the importance of this conversion. It is very important to enlist a professional patent attorney to docket the deadline. Additionally, the professional will handle the necessary tasks to obtain the non-provisional patent application including drafting claims, meeting drawing requirements, and disclosure additions not in the provisional application.

Proper patent application

Writing a proper patent application is very important. You can only be sure if you enlist a professional with the experience and expertise to help you out. Professional patent agents understand whatever it takes to write a proper application. Some of the things that may make your patent application to be considered improperly written include

• Lack of proper invention claim

• Missing details in invention description

• Exaggerating art

The provisional patent application should describe the invention sufficiently with detail distinguishing it from prior inventions. Doing this allows benefiting from an early provision priority filling date. Otherwise, you might have to file an additional application including the missing details. A patent claim defines the metes and bounds of your invention. The trademark office relies on this to define the scope of protection for your invention. A professional patent attorney negotiates the claim scope with the patent examiner.

How to market your invention

Seeking professional assistance is necessary when planning to market your invention. Fortunately, patent attorneys also evaluate the invention for potential patent protection. You can find a service that offers to evaluate inventions and file for patent protection. However, you have to be aware of the costs involved.

Why get a patent for your invention

Getting a patent gives you an exclusive right to your invention. Although copyrights accrue to inventors automatically, you have to register your work with the United States Copyright Office. Afterward, you apply with United States Patent and Trademark Office to get a patent for your invention. An examiner checks your application for compliance with statutory requirements to approve or reject your application. Having a professional to draft your application increases the chances of approval.

Getting a patent offers you a limited monopoly for your product or service. Monopoly comes with the potential to reap big from the exclusion of competitors. You can get a patent on anything including books, tech gadgets, or computer software. However, enlisting the services of a professional patent attorney increases the chances of getting your application approved.

Conclusion

A lot goes into preparing a provisional and non-provisional patent application. Seeing professional assistance is the best way to avoid costly mistakes. Engaging a patent attorney is the best way to pursue patent protection for your invention in the shortest possible time.