I receive a lot of queries regarding provisional patent applications from inventors and business owners. In specific circumstances, and only when done correctly, I advocate filing a provisional patent application.
The first thing to understand is that the Patent Office never examines a provisional application. As a result, a provisional patent could never be awarded. For the application to be evaluated, you must eventually submit a non-provisional application (and then allowed).
The key advantage of submitting a provisional is that it has fewer criteria and is less expensive. For example, if you qualify as a micro business, the provisional filing price is presently under $65.
Provisional applications are also beneficial when you need to make changes to the innovation you’re working on. When you submit your non-provisional patent application, you may file subsequent provisional applications for any enhancements and merge numerous provisional patent applications filed within the prior 12 months. You may also include any fresh developments in the non-provisional.
