To know this before filing a provisional patent application you should do a comprehensive search of USPTO, and other US database. A patent agent will do this for their client or you can have trusted confidant. Be ready as you are likely to find a similar product and that is a good thing, as someone else has also recognized that there is a problem which requires a solution. Ideally your solution or some aspect of it either better than theirs, or distinctly different which makes it possible to submit a provisional application for it.

Your goal in patenting an invention is to make money by turning it into real product. It wont do you any good to file a provisional application for something that is not in viable commercial market. If you are considering to file a provisional, begin to raise additional capital, and essentially start telling strangers about your idea.

How Experts will ease this process?

  1. First, you need to be able to describe this idea in enough detail so that someone else can make one, based solely on your description. A good patent agent or attorney would guide you through the process.
  2. Second, you will need to have a conversation with them about the demand for this product in the market. Without tipping your hand to what your invention is to the general public have you determined that there is sizeable enough demand that will purchase enough of these items to sustain a business.
  3. Third, you need to consider any and all safety issues with your inventions. Depending on the type of invention you have it is likely that you will need to hire a safety engineer before you investigate manufacturing process.

The Budget of the Patent agent or attorney, may vary form $1500 to $5000, but this isn’t a case where you want to shop around for cheapest price.It is important to find a professional who prides themselves on submitting comprehensive documentation the first time, increasing the likelihood of getting a patent to issue down the road. Provisional patent applications allow you to say you are “patent pending”, but they won’t let you stop infringer’s who can start selling your idea. Subsequently filing a non-provisional patent application and having it issue as a patent has the “teeth” to do that, and is also necessary if you’re thinking of licensing your invention to a major corporation.