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Patent basics, in plain English.
Patents are written to be impenetrable. They don't have to be understood that way. This is the whole of the fundamentals — eight short guides, in the order that makes sense, from “what is a patent?” to filing your own.
The learning path
- 1What is a patent?Start here. The whole idea in plain English — what a patent gives you, what it takes, and the bargain at its core.
- 2The types of patentsUtility, design, and plant patents — what each one actually protects, how long it lasts, and famous examples of each.
- 3What a patent does NOT coverThe more useful question. A patent fences off one specific invention, not the idea — here are the six gaps it leaves open.
- 4How to read a patentThe abstract is marketing; the claims are the law. Learn which parts of a patent actually matter and how to read them.
- 5The language of patentsPrior art, prosecution, non-obviousness — every term you'll meet, each defined in one plain sentence.
- 6How to file a patentThe honest, seven-step path from invention disclosure through USPTO examination to a granted patent.
- 7What a patent costsThe real numbers — government fees, attorney fees, and the maintenance fees most guides forget to mention.
- 8Provisional vs non-provisionalWhich application to file first, what a provisional really buys you, and the 12-month clock you can't miss.
Ready to file?
The filing track
Past the basics and serious about filing? These six steps — and the free tools that power them — run in order from “is it even patentable?” to handling the examiner.
- 1Check if it's patentableBefore you spend a dollar: run your idea through the novelty, non-obviousness, utility, and eligibility checks.
- 2Choose your first filingProvisional or non-provisional? Lock in a priority date cheaply, or go straight for the full application.
- 3Draft a provisionalGenerate a structured provisional-application skeleton from your invention — the cheapest way to say "patent pending."
- 4File with the USPTOThe seven-step walkthrough from finished application through electronic filing to your filing receipt.
- 5Pressure-test your claimsCheck that every element of each claim is actually supported by your specification — the §112 trap that sinks applications.
- 6Handle the office actionWhen the examiner pushes back, calculate your real response deadlines so you never blow the clock.
When you're ready