Before you file for a patent you must make a choice to either hire a lawyer to file the patent for you or to do it on your own. If you opt to hire a lawyer to help you file a patent you should be ready to spend some money. Most patent lawyers charge a minimum of $5,000. The process on how to file a patent remains the same whether you do it yourself or a lawyer does it for you. The only difference is how much work you must do and the level of expertise you bring to the task.
Filing a patent is a lengthy procedure, usually taking 12 to 18 months for the US Patent examiner to hand out a decision the patentability of the invention. You are also required to conduct research prior to filing for a patent. The research serves as part of the basis for approval or rejection when you file a patent on invention. It is the most basic and most important step when you file a patent.
During the research phase, you must conduct a patent search to determine if the invention is patentable. In the evaluation phase, you should conduct an in-depth investigation into the technical field involved, including study of the closest prior patents and references and a comparison with the...