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Filing For Your Patent

One must realize the fact that obtaining a patent is important but not easy. Seeking the help of a patent attorney is highly advisable—even the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office recommends seeking the legal counsel of an expert patent lawyer when filing for your patents.

Following are some of the steps involved in filing for your patent with the United States Patent & Trademark office:

• Select the type of application for filing your patent: design patent, utility patent, or plant patent.
• Settle on the filing strategy: International patent, U.S patent, or both.
• When filing a utility patent in the U.S., choose the application type: provisional or non-provisional.
• Consider using the accelerated examination process—though special rules apply, it can save time.
• Prepare and apply for a patent through the electronic filing system—filing as a registered e-filer is recommended.
• Once the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) examines and approves your claim, you are expected to pay the issue and publication fee and for the USPTO to grant your patent.
• If the USPTO disapproves your claim, you can request their reconsideration to grant the patent.

Please note that once the patent is granted, you owe a maintenance fee at 3.5, 7.5, and 11.5 years from the time you obtained the patent.

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