Some simple steps to file a provisional patent

A patent helps you in giving you a legal protection from anyone that tries to copy your new idea, which can be related to a specially designed plant or creation of a new technology. Basically you need a patent to prove that the invention is yours and also prevent your competitors from making their own version. Patents are categorized into three different types which include provisional, design and plant patent. Provisional patent is considered to be a special patent that is used for protecting new ideas. Additionally, ideas that have also not been fully developed can have provisional patents placed on them, which simply prevents them from being stolen.

PPAs or Provisional Patent Applications helps in reserving an invention for a later and a more formal patent application. Investors and businessmen usually file PPAs to protect their intellectual properties usually the time when the product is being finalized or the investment partnerships are being coordinated. They are usually valid for a year from the date of filing and are then discarded without transforming into official patents. However, if the application gets accepted, you can easily write ‘patent pending’ on the literature pertaining to the product.

Some simple steps that can help you understand the process of provisional patent filing are:

Firstly, it is necessary to assemble all your documents that are related to your invention as PPAs are submitted much like conventional patent applications. Therefore, any information that you include on one document should also be included in others. It is not required to submit any working model although drawings of your invention should be included.

The second step would be to decide whether you are planning to submit your provisional patent application online or through US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). If you are planning to submit your application online, you can simply follow the necessary guidelines mentioned on the USPTO website. It is also necessary to fill out the disclosure forms and ensure that all the required details are mentioned. It is also necessary to submit your application in PDF format.

You can also submit your application with the assistance of your patent lawyer and submit all your applications to USPTO. The lawyer would simply guide you with the steps that you need to fulfill in order to complete your patent application. However, both online as well as offline, it is required to submit the fee that is attached to filing a provisional patent application.