What is involved with a patent application?
A patent application is prepared by a patent attorney who works closely with the inventor. The application consists of a “specification” and one or more “claims.” The specification discloses the invention in such a way that a person with ordinary skill in the art may make and use the invention. The claim specifically defines what the inventor considers to be the invention, which determines patentability as well as infringement. A provisional patent application may be filed to protect your invention for one year. This is inexpensive and allows you and the university time to determine the commercial applicability of the invention before committing financial resources to its protection. The filing of a patent application is secret. However, once a patent is issued, anyone can obtain a copy of the patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Sometimes a PCT application is filed, which is an international application processed according to the Patent Cooperation Treaty. Obtaining a pat
