What happens after a United States patent application is filed?
After a patent application is filed, the applicant will receive an “office action” – usually between 18-24 months after filing of the application. A patent examiner at the U.S. patent office assigned to the application will issue this office action. The office action may allow certain subject matter, and it may also have rejections and/or objections for reasons of either form or substance. If there are objections or rejections, it is the job of the patent attorney to make appropriate arguments or make amendments to get the broadest protection available. If the rejections and/or objections are overcome, the inventor will receive a “Notice of Allowability” setting forth the scope of allowable protection on the invention. Thereafter, an issue fee must be paid for the patent to issue.
