+1.970.776.4355

Search results for: “provisional”

  • Provisional Patent Applications are Always Wrong for Your Business

    Updated 22 Dec 2021 Provisional patent[1] applications are misunderstood by many inventors, investors, and even patent attorneys. There is a notion that somehow a provisional patent application is good for inventors and startup companies. Let me be clear: there is nothing worse than a provisional patent application from a business standpoint. There is no reason…

  • Should I File A Provisional Patent Application?

    You should never file a provisional patent application. Ever. In every case, a small company or independent inventor is better off by filing a complete, well-written, non-provisional patent application. One of the biggest hoaxes in the patent community is that provisional patent applications are a good thing. They are not. (You can learn more at…

  • Gullible Angel Investors and Provisional Patent Applications

    Last time, we discussed the provisional patent application hoax perpetuated by patent attorneys. In this post, we look at the scam from the inventor/entrepreneur side. Many so-called inventors/entrepreneurs like to file their own provisional patent applications, then shop these to gullible angel investors, hoping that the angel investors will bite. The “inventor” is hoping that…

  • Only Gullible Angel Investors fall for Provisional Patents

    Provisional patent[1] applications are the worst things for angel investors. What is a provisional patent application? A provisional patent application, sometimes called a “provisional” or “PPA,” is the single worst thing a startup can do to “protect” themselves. And angel investors have been led to believe that this is a good strategy. I assure you,…

  • Provisional Patent Applications Hurt Startups

    Bad Strategies for Startup Patents The patent bar does a terrible job of serving smaller clients – and provisional patent[1] applications are a glaring example. In fact, they are taking advantage of them and causing harm to the clients they are supposed to serve. The graph shows a recent snapshot of office actions over the…

  • The Provisional Patent Hoax

    One of the greatest hoaxes in our industry is the notion that provisional patent applications are a good thing. They are not. I am always amazed how some hoaxes are told over and over to the point where people actually believe them. When they find out that the hoax was not true, their confidence is…

  • How Long Provisional Applications Hurt You

    How Your Own Prior Art Can Kill You I had a client whose inventor would write long provisional patent[1] applications.  He would think through all the options of his inventions, and he would include every option he could conceive. The company made battery separators – the thin sponge that goes between the anode and cathode…

  • Patent Law FAQ

    Browse our patent law FAQs by topic.

  • How Much Does A Patent Cost?

    Updated 23 July 2023 The average cost of a utility patent in the US is over $50,000. This is just the cost to file a utility patent application and the patent examination process. It does not cover the cost of enforcing your patent, which can be in the millions. All patent owners should have patent…

  • How long does it take to get a patent?

    It takes, on average, 2-4 years to get a patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office. But, you can change the speed based on your filing strategy. How long does it take to get a patent? Depends on your strategy. The chart above shows how long a patent was pending for the patents…