A patent application is a request pending at a patent office for the grant of a patent for the invention described and claimed by that application. An application consists of a description of the invention, together with official forms and correspondence relating to the application. The term patent application is also used to refer to the process of applying for a patent, or to the patent specification itself
In order to obtain the grant of a patent, a person, either legal or natural, must file an application at a patent office with jurisdiction to grant a patent in the geographic area over which coverage is required. This will often be a national patent office but could be a regional body, such as the European Patent Office. Once the patent specification complies with the laws of the office concerned, a patent may be granted for the invention described and claimed by the specification.
Do you have a new idea for a product that you would like to invent? If so, have you tried obtaining a patent for your invention yet? If not, what are you waiting for? You are advised to apply for a patent as soon as possible. A patent is important because it prevents other inventors from profiting from your concept. Essentially, a patent is what could make you rich. That is why it is important that you get started as soon as possible.
Although you are advised to apply for a patent right away, you may have a number of questions about the process. When apply for a patent, this process is often referred to as the patent application process. The patent application process is the period of time before you are actually approved for a patent. Essentially, it is the time when you begin preparing your application to the time when you are either granted or denied a patent.
When applying for a patent, the steps that need to be taken will depend on where you live and where you are applying for a patent. Despite the possibility of different rules and restrictions, most patent offices, whether they are in the United States or the United Kingdom , have similar application procedures that you must first follow. Perhaps, the first step is determining what forms need to be filled out. If you are not required to fill out any preset forms, you will want to determine whether or not there are any specifications on the documents that you will be creating yourself. You can easily learn this by contacting your local patent office.
For the most part, you will need to accurately describe the concept design that you would like patented. This must be done in great detail. Your patent office will use that description to determine whether or not it eligible for approval. If your design is similar to an existing patent or if the information you provided was too vague, there is a good chance that your patent request will be denied. In fact, there is a one hundred percent certainty that your application will get denied; therefore, it is important that you are as accurate and as detailed as you could possibly be.
It is also important that you select the correct patent application. The patent application process allows you to file a standard patent application or a provisional patent application. Standard and provisional applications are used for new patents; however, if you are interested in making alterations to your current patent, whether it already is granted or in the approval stages, you will need to either file a continuation application or a divisional application. After you have finished the patent application process, your application should be ready to submit. At this point in time, the patent approval process will begin.
Although you can successfully go through the patent application process on your own, you may want to consider using the services of a patent attorney. Patent attorneys are qualified individuals who are familiar with the patent laws, as well as the patent application process. Whether you do not have time to follow through with the application process, yourself, or if you would like assistance creating your application, a qualified patent attorney should be able offer you assistance. You can easily find a local patent attorney by using your local phone book or the internet.
As mentioned above, it is extremely important that you get a patent for you next new product idea or concept. Whether you go through the patent application process alone or with the assistance of a patent attorney, you are advised to get started today. In addition to preventing another inventor from using your idea or product design, you might also find yourself being contacted by investors who are interested in helping you get your idea off the ground.