Patent Filing Process
Patent
Filing Process
When you have an innovation
that could change your life, it is important to patent it before anyone else.
To protect your work, you may need to trademark, copyright or patent. Before
you begin a patent filing
process, determine the kind of protection you’re looking for. The patent is a monopoly granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a set
period of time, generally 20 years.
In effect of a patent, the creator gets exclusive rights over the sale and production of his product.
Patents also protect the idea from being stolen or used by others.
The Patent filing process can be long but these are the
basic steps to remember
Step 1-Eligibility-
before you begin, use the search engine on the United States Patent and
Trademark Office’s website. You can find details and photographs of all
patented products and check if your idea has already been patented. However, if
you find a similar product, you can work on your idea and make it better and
different.
Step 2- Requirement- after you’re certain your idea is unique and useful, you should
determine which type of patent is best suited for you.
There are 3 types of patents:
Utility Patent- issued for new and useful functions or processes of
inventions
Design Patent- issued for aesthetic designs
Plant Patent- issued for discovering new plants
Step 3- Find an attorney-Hiring an attorney can save you a lot of time and effort in a rather
tedious process. Not only do they help you write your application, make
corrections but also to file your inventions making the patent filing process
hassle-free.
Step 4- Application- You select which kind of application is best suited for you with the
help of your attorney. The application will include documents that include a
list of people who know about it, description or working model of your
invention, a declaration oath and required fees.
Step 5- Issuance- After reviewing your application, the USPTO checks the authenticity of
your claim. They determine whether your idea is patentable or not. If your idea
gets rejected, you can make changes and apply again. However, it is a long
process as the answer for USPTO may take up to a year.
Patent filing
process can be overwhelming but with professional help, it can reap monetary
benefits and other rewards.
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