Many inventors ask: “Why would someone file a provisional application instead of a non-provisional application?” Afterall, why pay for two application filings, especially since the provisional application will expire after one year from filing. I often respond by answering that if you believe that your invention is at a stage where it is ready to […]
How much does it cost to patent an idea? It depends. There are two ways you can patent an idea: Method 1: Write and file your own patent application (the cheapest way) – total cost about $1,000 for most inventors to get an issued patent (USPTO government fees only). A provisional type application is only […]
Prior art is any evidence that an invention is already known or in use before the effective filing date of a patent application. It can be in many forms including: printed information, admissions by a patent applicant, for sale offers and public use. Printed information may include patents and published patent applications (both of […]
What are invention promotion companies? Have you ever seen an advertisement on Youtube or heard one on the radio from a group that says they can bring your invention forward and help you make money from it? They usually show some great examples of inventions they have sold for millions of dollars. These are “invention […]
Anticipation rejections and obviousness rejections are the two most common arguments used by the Patent Office in order to reject claims in a non-provisional patent application. Used alone or in combination, if an applicant is unable to overcome these rejections for any of their claims, then they will not be able to get a patent […]
Patents do not give you permission to make or sell anything. In a legal sense they are a defensive tool only. My old boss used to joke and say “a patent is just a very expensive ticket to the courthouse” meaning you can use your patent to sue other people and stop them from copying […]