What are the steps involved in obtaining a patent?
Once a search has been conducted, and the client is committed to filing a patent application in light of any limitations that may have presented themselves after the results of a search, it is commonly asked, “what happens now and what are the costs involved?” There are two types of patent applications that can be filed. A provisional application affords the applicant 12 months before filing a non-provisional application. This 12 month period can offer the client the opportunity to test the market for his invention while marking any materials or prototypes as “patent pending.” If a patent eventually issues, it is afforded the priority date of the filing date of the provisional application, giving the invention priority over any subsequently filed patent applications, provided a non-provisional application claiming priority of the provisional is filed within 12 months. A provisional application requires no claims, is not examined and has no formal requirements other than a disclosure of
