Invention Patent Information

So you think you have a really great, very original idea in your hand and you want to go about patenting it? But how do you do that? What are the nuances of patenting and how does one get into the process? It is of course important to know all this if one has to follow the right process and make a success of what one started out to do. And for that, one will need some essential invention patent information that will allow you to go about this process effectively. So if that's what you want to know then read the following article for more details.

What is a Patent

A patent is a grant that allows the property right to the inventor of the patent. Once a person gets a patent, nobody else has the right to make, use, sell or offer for sale or import that product. This specifically excludes others from carrying out any of these activities. A patent is usually granted for 20 years from the date that the application was submitted.

There are three types of patents. They are:

• Utility Patent ~ Granted for those who invent or discover a new and useful process, machine, article of manufacture or composition of matter.
• Design Patent ~ Granted for those who invent a new and original ornamental design for an article of manufacture
• Plant Patent ~ Granted for those who discovers or invents and asexually produces a new variety of plant.

Invention Patent Process

But how to get an invention patent? There is a process involved and it goes like this:

Invention Protection
Once you have discovered or invented something, make sure that you can trace it back to you. Write out the details of how you discovered. Include sketches and pictures if possible. Then take the paper to a notary where a date will be fixed to the invention. Then you need to get it signed by 4 non-relatives who have understood your patent. Maintain this original patent to avoid future confusion about the invention.

Invention Patent Search
The next thing that you need to do is search the market before you go ahead with the copyright procedure is to see if there is any other product that is like yours. For this you need to consult the US patent office where an officer will search for the patent through their records at the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a few of approximately $300. The report is then given to an attorney who reviews whether there are any such patents and writes a report stating that there isn't. Some people even choose to find out on their own whether their designs etc. are exclusive by contacting the market directly. But this can take a long time and the other process of trademark is much more effective.

Application for Patent
After your search has been conducted and all the conditions have been fulfilled that - it is a new invention, there is commercial value for it and there is nothing in the market like this, you need to file with the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office). You can go about the patent filing process in two ways, one, file under the regular patent application (RPA) or a provisional patent application (PPA). The PPA is not an actual application for the patent. It just allows you a year in which you can set about improving the invention, it therefore costs less. After a year you are supposed to fill the RPA or else you lose claim over the patent idea.

Invention Patent Costs

It is not a simple deal, this patenting. A PPA requires approximately $ 120 (USD) if one goes through a small company, a large company will charge more. Add to that the lawyers fees as well which could even cross $ 15,000 depending on the complexity of the patent.

Again, the actual invention patenting is very expensive and that is why many people file for a PPA to accumulate that amount. For example simple products cost about $ 6000, slightly complex will cost $ 8000, intermediately complex will cost about $ 12,000 and highly complex will be anything above $ 15,000. These figures are an approximate count and can depending from person to person.

So if you think you've had some new inventions that could earn you that patent, I hope this brief invention patent information and the explanation on how to patent an invention will help you carry out the process effortlessly.