As an experienced patent specialist and a proud father of nine youngsters, I like to compare writing a patent to having a baby. Like having a baby, the patenting process starts with great difficulties and expenditures, and, like kids, the difficulties and expenses improve more than time. Like kids, right preparation ahead of you begin can save a lot of capital and heartache later.
A lot of applicants invest substantial revenue into a patent's application in multiple countries and later realize that they don't have sufficient dollars to prosecute examination and are forced to abandon the applications. The result is loss of all dollars investments, and loss of the idea (which has been published and becomes public domain).
In Short: just before you begin writing a patent application: 1) make confident that you are certain what you are patenting and that it is genuinely a valuable thought two) make a thorough patentability search (see our previous blog) 3) strategy what you are going to do with the concept sell/license/or industry 4) Make a expense timeline for Searching/Drafting/Prosecuting/Litigation and 5) strategy how you are going to get the dollars to cover fees.
The quantity of time and price of patenting an concept is variable. It is achievable (and in some cases advantageous) to draw out the patenting approach. It is also doable (and often advantageous) to hurry the method. Acquiring a patent in a foreign country is normally a lot much more high priced than acquiring a patent in the US. Patenting strategies and foreign filings are complex issues which I will not talk about here.
Prior to you put out a lot of funds on patents, strategy for upcoming costs and be ready to pay. Request from your attorney/agent an estimate of fees ahead of you agree to any work. Make positive you know what is and is not covered in the estimate. If there are technical errors or corrections to the drawings, who will pay? Do you have to pay added for filing the IDS (Info Disclosure Statement)? Herein I present a rough price estimate for acquiring a new patent (in the United States):
1) Make a thorough prior art search. To do a appropriate search you require to have a clear thought of your invention. You need to start by performing a search your self and if you remain convinced that your notion has value employ a patent agent/attorney to do a extra thorough search. Beware of low-priced, one-shot searches. They are virtually never ever sufficient. (Significantly more detailed on looking and some on-line resources are available in my prior blog.)
2) File a US provisional application: minimum price = $100 USPTO fee. I advise writing your own description of your invention and giving it to a patent agent to check for enablement. You can file it yourself or have your agent file. By the finish of a year the provisional expires and you need to file a full application to preserve your rights. Make use of that year. Be certain that well ahead of the end of the year you have your invention in a final working form and you have enough cash for the filing the full application.
three) Draft and file a US application. The USPTO filing fee is around $500, you might file your self, but drafting a patent is a tricky method and not advised for the uninitiated. Law firms charge from $5000 to $15,000 to draft a common application. Individual patent agents can be found who will normally do a much better job at a lower price. You can assist your lawyer/agent by supplying a clear description of the invention. You can save income by supplying your attorney with patent high quality drawings (BLACK and WHITE no color no gray shading) (for alot more on how to make drawings see How to Make Patent Drawings by David Pressman). There are various superior books for the layman on patent drafting e.g. Patent It Oneself by David Pressman, and The Patent Writer by Bob DeMatteis et al.
A word for the wise It is tempting to save cash on patent drafting, but it is not recommended. A poorly drafted patent might possibly be invalid or unenforceable. A clear, concise, well written application will save time and dollars through examination. Also a nicely written application is far more most likely to attract investors.
4) Patent examination (prosecution) fees are particularly variable and tough to predict. In the preferred case scenario, right after 1-three years a patent undergoes examination entailing 2 to 4 office actions costing from $2000 to $4000 each for a total of about $10,000 to $20,000. Be aware, if you feel your patent is worthwhile, you will need to have a lot even more capital out there, considering occasionally it is vital to apply for an RCE (request for continued examination) a divisional application or an appeal of a selection of the examiner. In such circumstances the expenses could be considerably additional.
Immediately after an application is allowed, you ought to pay an issuance fee of about $1500 and maintenance fees at 3.five, 7.five and 11.5 years following grant.