Learn About Provisional Patents And How To Get A Patent Pending Status

Learn About Provisional Patents And How To Get A Patent Pending Status

Inventions can be very promising not just in offering solutions to the situations they have been developed for but also in making money for the inventor when they are a hit in the market. The worst thing about coming up with a new invention is that it is prone to getting copied by others. Apart from copying your invention for their own benefits, they could also end up making substantial improvements and changes to your original invention to come up with a better product. This can easily drain you out of business, especially if you had made the invention with the sole purpose of making money out of it. 

Fortunately, you are allowed by patent law to protect your original inventions through patents. They give you exclusive rights to the product, production process or design that you have come up with for a given period of time. This makes impossible for others to use your formula for the same kind of product. There are different kinds of patent applications and provisional patents are some of them options that you will find today. 

Provisional patents 

The Patent Office and United States Trademark allowed the first filing of provisional application back in 1995. There is a huge difference between a provisional patent application and non-provisional patent. The major difference is that the provisional does not require the formalities that are required in the non-provisional patent. Under the provisional application, you are allowed to put a “patent pending” label on the invention. This status saves your rightful spot in filing for a non-provisional patent, meaning that you can hold that same spot for up to a year once you have filed for the patent. It is a window opening that gives you all the time that you require to make the decision whether you should move on with the filing for a full non provisional patent.

The other difference between a provisional patent and a non-provisional patent can be in the specific parts that are patented. They can include trade secrets and they are not released when you have applied for provisional protection. 

Filing for a patent 

The matters associated with patenting an invention can seem very difficult and tedious, especially for individuals who are not very sure about the process. Fortunately, even when you know so little about patents and how to go about the filing process, you can still find professional help. There are patent attorneys who can help you with every detail to the last bit till you have your desired patent in place. The attorneys can actually make the process easy for you by offering filing assistance online. It breaks down the geographical barriers that would have otherwise stood in your way to access the much-needed help with your invention. A good patent attorney will also be in a position to teach you a little about the patents and answer all your questions so that you are comfortable with the process.

Provisional patent can be a great help, especially if you are yet to decide which direction you wish for your new invention to take. With a good patent attorney, the filing process should be an easy ride for you.

 Patent Attorney, Patent Lawyer