Posts Tagged: provisional patent applications
Patent Pending: The Road to Obtaining a U.S. Patent
The term patent pending is a well recognized term of art that many inventors rightfully covet. It subtly, and very directly, conveys great meaning. It means that …
What are the Priority Date, Patent Term, and Effective Filing Date of a Patent: The Roles of Specific Reference, Incorporation by Reference, and Claim Support
A recent Federal Circuit decision demonstrates that for priority claims and patent term, the phrase “specific reference” is key. For example, amongst three related applications, to get …
How to Write a Patent Application
Writing a patent application is not as easy as many think. Indeed, the concept of usefully describing the invention, which on its face seems easy enough to …
A Claim of priority Cannot Be Made With an Incorporation by Reference
Upon filing a patent application, the USPTO mails a filing receipt. The domestic and foreign claim of priority is stated and should be checked to make sure …
Filing a patent application is still a smart decision for inventors
I'm not alone in thinking that at least a provisional patent application is extremely important. Stephen Key, the preeminent inventor coach in the United States, advises all …
Provisional Applications: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Provisional applications can be a very useful tool, but only when they are done right. When provisional patent applications are done poorly you not only obtain no …
There is no such thing as a provisional patent
Although there is a popular misconception among inventors new to the field of inventing, the United States Patent and Trademark Office is never going to grant a …
Should I File a Patent Application Before Licensing the Invention?
I am frequently asked by inventors whether they should file a patent application before seeking to license their invention. Some even ask whether they should first obtain …
Invention to Patent 101 – Everything You Need to Know to Get Started
This page and website contain contain detailed information to help inventors on the road from invention to patent... Below are a sampling of inventor help links to …
The Benefits of a Provisional Patent Application
There is a great misunderstanding among many inventors and entrepreneurs regarding what many simply refer to as a provisional patent. The first thing that needs to be …
Defining the Full Glory of Your Invention in a Patent Application
Perhaps the patent laws should not be so generous to allow inventors to protect that which they can describe on paper without any proof of a working …
Patent Drafting 101: The Basics of Describing Your Invention in a Patent Application
One big mistake inventors make is they will go on page after page in their draft patent application about how they came up with the idea for …
The Patent Process on a Tight but Realistic Budget
The patent process can be overwhelming and quite costly for an inventor who wishes to secure patent protection on their invention. But there are certain steps of …
Inventing 101: Protecting Your Invention When You Need Help
Once you get that first provisional patent application filed you are ready to approach others for assistance with your invention. You have a measure of protection, but …
Provisional Patent Applications the Right Way, the Wal-Mart Way
If serial provisional patent applications seems like a good strategy for Wal-Mart, which is one of the largest corporations in the world, and if serial provisional patent …
