In simple words, “Patent filing” can be defined as a process of submitting an application in a patent office requesting grant of patent to your invention. If you wish to protect your invention in different countries, then you will have to submit a patent application in each of those countries. There are various options or approaches you may use to protect your invention in one or more countries. By understanding the various patent filing options, you can construct a patent filing strategy based on your business objectives and economic constraints. This articles attempts to provide an overview of the patent filing options you can use. (You may be also interested in reading the article “How much does it cost to get a patent in India”)

Please note that, the most important factor in filing a patent application is preparing a patent specification. Drafting a patent specification is a highly skilled job, which can be only preformed by persons who have both techinical as well as patent law expertise. If a person or company is serious about protecting their intellectual property, it is highly recommeded to use the services of professional patent practitioners. To know more about this, you can read our article on this here.

1. Filing a provisional patent application

2. Filing a complete patent application in your country

3. Filing a patent application in a foreign country

4. Filing a Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application

A provisional patent application is filed to secure a priority date for your invention. A priority date is the date on which the first patent application for your invention is filed. This date is important because, knowledge available in public domain before the priority date is referred to as “prior art”, and this prior art is considered by the patent office to decide if a patent has to be granted to your invention. If you delay filing of the patent application, then naturally, more knowledge in the public domain gets added to the prior art, hence decreasing the probability of patent grant to your invention.

Normally, inventors/companies file a provisional application in two scenario. The first scenario is when time is of concern, and drafting a well constructed complete patent specification might delay the patent filing process. This delay in filing, pushes the priority date further, thereby reducing the probability of patent grant to your invention. The second scenario is when money is of concern. Depending on the country in which the patent application is filed, there can be a substantial difference between the provisional and complete application fee that has to be paid  to the patent office. Further, depending on the patent consultant you choose to work with, there can be substantial difference in the fee charged by the patent consultant to draft a provisional and a complete specification. Hence, sometimes inventors/companies draft a provisional specification on their own and file the same.

A complete patent application has to be filed in the patent office of your country if you wish to protect your invention in your country. A complete patent application can be filed in the first place or if you have filed a provisional application provisously, then within 12 months from the provisional application filing date.

1. File a provisional application in any convention country (secure a priority date) and file a complete application in the patent office of your country within 12 months from the priorit date.

2. File a complete application in any convention country (secure a priority date) and and file a complete application in the patent office of your country within 12 months from the priority date.

3. Use the PCT route – Explained under option 4

1. File a provisional application in any convention country (secure a priority date) and file a complete application in each of the foreign countries in which you wish to protect your invention within 12 months from the priorit date.

2. File a complete application in any convention country (secure a priority date) and file a complete application in each of the foreign countries in which you wish to protect your invention within 12 months from the priority date.

3. Use the PCT route – Explained in detail below

1. File a provisional application in any PCT member country (secure a priority date) and file a PCT aspplication within 12 months from the priorit date. Subsequently, file patent applications, within 30/31 months from priority date, in each country (has to be a PCT member country, list of PCT contracting countries) you wish to protect your invention.

2. File a complete application in any PCT member country (secure a priority date) and file a PCT application within 12 months from the priority date. Thereafter, file patent applications, within 30/31 months from priority date, in each country (PCT member country) you wish to protect your invention.

3. File a PCT application in the first place and secure a priority date. Thereafter, file patent applications, within 30/31 months from priority date, in each country (PCT member country) you wish to protect your invention.

You may be interested in reading our other related articles listed below:

• Patent Application Filing Procedure/Process in India     

• Indian Patenting Process Timeline     

• At Which Stage Should I Apply for a Patent?     

• Can I apply for a patent before creating a prototype?   

• Should I apply for a patent before publishing my invention?    

• Can publicly disclosed inventions be patented in India?