How to Develop a Patent
A patent is a way to protect your idea. The people who can write, file and prosecute patents before filing for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) are a patent attorney, a patent agent or the inventor.
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Instructions
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Read books such as "Patent It Yourself" by David Pressman and learn about inventions and patents. Understanding the whole process is a must as developing a patent can be very complicated. Familiarize yourself with patent language.
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Find out if your idea has been already patented or not in the USPTO website.
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Get patent-writing software, such as Patent Pro, Patent Ease or Patent Wizard. After finished writing it yourself, take it to a patent attorney or a patent agent for any mistakes, changes or advice. Patent language can be extremely complicated. The poor choice of even a word can make a huge difference. The patent attorney and agent are highly trained professionals.
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File the patent yourself. The patent application includes abstract, references cited, and claims.
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Deal with the patent office and write to the examiner assigned to your application. Depending on the category of your invention, the patent application may take two to five years to move through the examination process.
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Tips & Warnings
While waiting for the application, you can track the progress on the USPTO website.
By the time your patent finally issues, you will probably have spent between $10,000 and $20,000 on your patent.
Resources
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