Whats involved in drafting and filing a patent application?
Here’s an introduction to the steps you need to take. You’re confident that your invention has commercial potential. You’ve done a thorough patent search, and you can show that your invention is significantly different from earlier developments in its field. Now you have to convince the Patent & Trademark Office to grant you a patent. Each patent application filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) goes through a rigorous examination process. The application is assigned to a “patent examiner” who inspects it to make sure that: • the invention meets the requirements for patentability, and • the application itself follows the required PTO format and language. You and the examiner will exchange letters or phone calls until you reach an agreement about which parts of your invention the patent will cover, if any. This process typically takes between one and three years. Don’t be discouraged by the examiner’s rigorous scrutiny of your application. Virtually no patent application
