 |
 |
Over 500,000
satisfied customers |
|
World-class customer
service |
|
100% Satisfaction
Guaranteed | |
|
Provisional Patents
A provisional application for patent was designed to solve an age-old problem. You want to see if your invention has commercial appeal, but if you tell people, you run the risk they will “steal” the idea.
Before 1995, inventors could either build the invention themselves, or they could file a full patent application before telling anyone about their invention. However, there were significant problems with both approaches. First, it is time-consuming and expensive to build a working prototype, especially one based on new technologies. Second, hiring an attorney to prepare a full patent application can cost thousands of dollars.
The solution was the provisional application for patent. According to the U.S. Patent Office, a provisional application is designed to provide a “lower-cost first patent filing.” A provisional patent lets you quickly secure an initial filing date for your invention and legally allows you to use the words “patent pending.” These words serve as a strong warning. Anyone who copies your invention risks patent infringement.
Once a provisional application is filed, you have 12 months to test your idea and seek funding before filing a full patent application. Filing a full patent before the end of the 12-month period gives you the original filing date of the provisional application. In other words, if you filed your provisional application on January 1, 2007 and then file your full patent application on December 31, 2007, the filing date for the full patent will be January 1st.
If you decide not to move forward with your patent, you can simply abandon it, knowing your upfront costs were minimal.
|
|
| |
LegalZoom Newsletter
Sign up for our free monthly newsletter and receive periodic special offers.
|
|
Choose Another Document
|
|
|
|