Provisional Patents

South Carolina Provisional Patent Lawyer

A provisional patent can be used to protect developing inventions and processes innovations essential to a business or research program. Under 35 U.S.C. §111(b), a provisional patent can be filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) that last 12 months. During this period, the applicant must file a non-provisional patent application or risk losing the priority date established by the provisional patent. Additionally, filing a provisional patent can protect an invention or product by applying the term, "patent pending" to it. At The McGougan Law Firm, LLC, our attorneys help clients prepare and file provisional patents in order to protect emerging technology and new inventions.

If you would like to establish a priority date for your invention, contact our intellectual property lawyer at The McGougan Law Firm, LLC today and schedule an appointment to discuss your case.

Provisional Patents, Inventions, and Manufacturing Processes

The McGougan Law Firm, LLC represents clients in filing for provisional patents in the following industries:

• Pharmaceutical
• Chemical
• Biological and animal sciences
• Electronics industry
• Communications and wireless industry
• Medical devices
• Consumer products and food stuffs
• Internet services
• Business methods
• Manufacturing techniques and processes

Advantages associated with a Provisional Patent

Filing for a provisional patent not only allows you to establish a priority date for your invention, it is also costs less. Additionally, a provisional patent does not require an inventor's oath or declaration, nor does it require an information disclosure statement. Consequently, a provisional patent has the advantage of protecting an invention - for at least a 12 month period - until its design or functionality is perfected.

And, while the filing of a provisional patent will result in the disclosure of the invention, the patent itself will not be published until the non-provisional application is filed. As a result, a provisional patent can make it more difficult for a domestic or overseas competitor to back-engineer an invention before you are ready for market.

Contact a Provisional Patent Lawyer Today

If you are in the process of bringing an invention or idea to the market, filing a provisional patent has many advantages. To learn more about provisional patents and how we can help you, contact our intellectual property attorney at The McGougan Law Firm, LLC today.