US Patent FAQ – a DA VINCI DESIGN® Service – Patent Information Resource

For basic information on the patent process, especially that of the United States, we welcome you to our Patent FAQ: the original FAQ on the subject of Patents published on a private site on the Web. We suggest reading our Disclaimers and Warnings before following any advice contained on this site.

• • Disclaimers and Warnings
  • The Inventor’s First Steps to Protecting His Invention
  • What is a U.S. Patent?
  • What is a Patentable Invention?
  • Is a Patent Necessary?
  • The Patent Process (including a word about Patent Searching)
  • Patent Practitioners: Attorneys and Agents
  • What are the Inventor’s Chances of Obtaining Patent Protection?
  • Fees and Costs
  • How Long does it take to get a Patent?
  • Invention Promotion Organizations
  • Defensive Driving for the Inventor
  • Minimizing Legal Costs
  • Where to get More Information
  • Appendix