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Getting a Patent

Checklist: Before You Patent

Checklist: Questions to Consider Before Licensing

Research: Federal Law

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How to Get a Patent On Your Own

Thousands of inventors have successfully filed patents on their own, without the assistance of a lawyer. To obtain a patent, you must ensure that your invention qualifies for a patent and then be able to describe it in your application. By taking the proper steps -- none of which requires "legal" skills -- you can obtain a patent.

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Provisional Patent Applications: Quickest Way to "Patent Pending"
Filing a provisional patent application guards against rip-offs while buying time to file a regular patent application.

Making Your Own Patent Drawings
You can prepare your own patent drawings -- here's how.

Profiting From Your Patent FAQ
Once you have a patent, it's up to you to make it profitable by licensing it or selling it.

one-year rule

The rule that requires a patent application to be filed within one year of the following: any public use of the invention by the inventor, a sale of the invention, an offer to sell the invention, or any description of the invention by the inventor in a published document. Failure to file a patent application within this one-year period results in the invention's passing into the public domain, where it is no longer eligible for a patent.

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