A patent pending is a provisional application that gives the inventor 12 months to file a non-provisional application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). A non-provisional application is required to obtain a patent. Filing a patent pending application can be done online or by mail. The USPTO website provides detailed instructions on how to file a patent pending application.
There are many benefits to filing a patent pending application. Filing a patent pending application can help to protect an invention from being stolen or copied. It can also help to attract investors and licensees. In addition, filing a patent pending application can help to establish an inventor’s priority date. This date is important because it can be used to determine who is the first inventor of an invention.
