As many who have sought a patent already know, it can be a difficult and challenging process. That doesn’t mean, though, that it’s an impossible one. It also doesn’t mean that you necessarily need to feel worried about this process, either. By taking your time to do your research, and taking things step by step, you can help to make the process easier on yourself, and can potentially increase your odds of success. If you find yourself needing some pointers when it comes to the patent process, here are a few things to consider.
Get a Boost With Quality Software
When it comes to patents, you don’t always have to do everything on your own. Taking advantage of new kinds of software when figuring out how to write a patent can be a straightforward way to improve your accuracy, and possibly boost your chances of success. Software can often aid you through all steps of the process, from helping you to perform research more quickly, to aiding in streamlining and strengthening your patent during the drafting phase, to helping you defend your patent later on down the road. Beyond this, it can also help you keep up with any changes, as well as monitor yours and your competitor’s patent applications.
Where To Start When Writing a Patent
While the concept of writing a patent, which is essentially describing an invention, may be simple enough in itself, the reality is that patent writing can be difficult and complicated, to say the least. This is in part because writing a patent can entail much more than simply describing the invention, when all is said and done. You will often be expected to explain the invention in detail, as well as both the limits of it, and all of its capabilities. To begin with, you need to title your invention. A good title is usually descriptive and accurate, but also brief. After that, it is often a good idea to cross reference your patent application with other applications.
Next, if there is governmental interest in the invention, a statement pertaining to the rights to inventions made under federally funded research and development is typically in order. Beyond that, you will need to include a history of the invention’s background, as well as a summary of the invention. If there are drawings, they will need to have detailed descriptions, and finally you will need a section for your claims. This is the section where you will explain clearly what it is specifically that your invention is.
Be Specific
While writing a patent, it is often helpful to be as specific as possible. Some may want to shy away from specificity, and instead take a more broad and wide ranging approach, because they don’t want to limit their rights, however, being vague in any way is generally not advisable when it comes to writing a patent. In fact, one of the most important parts of writing a patent is often maintaining a high level of attention to detail, and being as clear as possible about your invention and what it can do. Patents with weak language or vague descriptions generally tend to be less successful than those that delineate an invention clearly.
Don’t Waste Time
Another thing that is often important when it comes to submitting patent applications is timeliness. This is particularly important in the United States, which has a first to file patent system. This means what it sounds like, that the first person that files the patent will generally be the first one to receive the rights for the patent they have applied for. Because of this, filing quickly can make a huge difference, especially in fields that are highly competitive. Although writing patents can be complicated, it is still important to file as quickly as possible, or else you may risk losing your ability to patent an invention at all. This could ultimately lead to the loss of significant amounts of revenue. So, while it is important to write through patent applications that are error free, sending them out quickly is also crucial.
The Bottom Line
Many who have sought a patent may already know that there is a lot that often goes into the application process. From researching for your patent thoroughly, to writing an effective application, to being able to defend your patent, there are many steps that require much thought.
That doesn’t mean, though, that you necessarily need to feel discouraged. By taking advantage of new technologies, paying attention to each step in the writing process, and being clear and efficient, you can increase your potential to see success.
