How To Register A Patent Application Online In 5 Easy Steps

There are several easy steps to draft, file, and register a patent online. The United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) has made intellectual property (IP) registration far more accessible and convenient for inventors. Nowadays, you can obtain a provisional, design, or utility patent without ever leaving home. The entire process has been digitalized, so that you can successfully acquire IP assets electronically – right from your computer. As a novel inventor yourself, you should know what’s involved in the online IP filing procedure. Read on to learn about registering a patent online with the USPTO.

Keep Your Idea Confidential

Throughout the patent registration process, you must keep your novel, original idea confidential. Intellectual property assets, like patents, require complete novelty for successful registration. Any public disclosure could totally derail the IP acquisition process. In fact, you publicly disclosing your idea could be as detrimental as a new competitor launching a similar invention. After your public disclosure is made, you only have one year to file a patent application. Of course, this 365-day grace period is only available in the United States. This means an information breach could immediately impact your global patentability. Absolutely, keep your ideas confidential during the process to register a patent application online.

Hire A Registered eFiler

Next, hire a certified eFiler to help you prepare, review, draft, and register a patent application. The best eFilers double as low cost patent search attorneys. These professionals are licensed to register formal applications by fax, mail, or through the USPTO’s direct website. Also known as the electronic filing system (EFS), this online registration portal is simple, fast, secure, and flexible. Most importantly, the system is completely safe. EFS filings offer the same legal protection as paper-based applications. Indeed, hire a licensed eFiler to help you draft, file, and register a patent application.  

Analyze Registration Criteria

With the help of your patent registration lawyer, carefully analyze the registration criteria. Start off by ensuring that your invention is actually patentable. By USPTO standards, your invention must be new, novel, and non-obvious. Ultimately, the invention cannot already be publicly known, commercially exploited, advertised, or professionally demonstrated. It also must offer some form of utility or industrial application. Further, you need to ensure that you are eligible and legally entitled to register for intellectual property. Typically, only the inventor and creator-approved-parties are elgibile for this form of filing. Surely, analyze eligibility criteria to register a patent application online.

Search For Similar Prior Arts

Now, you are ready to start searching for similar prior art references. This is a pivotal piece of the process to register a patent application online. Get a professional patent search report to inform you of any ideas that are comparable to yours. In short, these reports provide you a short-list of any similar published, pending, issued, or expired intellectual property assets. This can give you insights into whether your invention is truly new, novel, and non-obvious. It can also give you actionable information into competitors marketing similar ideas. Naturally, this can help eliminate redundant research, accelerate time to commercialization, and minimize the risk of infringement. Certainly, search for similar prior arts when registering a patent online.

Submit Your Application

At this point, it is officially time to submit your patent application for registration. Before pressing “Submit,” your patent filer will ensure that all the necessary documents and paperwork are in order. This includes your application specification sheet, drawings, oath and declaration. In addition, your online patent registration lawyer will attach all the required filing fees. This is based on the USPTO’s current filing fees and requirements. Definitely, submit your application to successfully register a patent with a licensed professional.

There are several key steps to register a patent electronically online. Throughout the patent filing process, strive to keep your novel idea confidential. Next, hire a registered eFiler – such as a licensed utility patent agent Chicago. From here, carefully analyze your registration criteria. You can work with your IP expert throughout the process. Together, you can also search for similar prior art references. Then, it is time to submit your application and await response from the USPTO. Follow the points highlighted above to learn about registering a patent online in the United States.