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Simple English definitions for legal terms
patent application
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A quick definition of patent application:
A patent application is a request made by an inventor to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for exclusive rights to their invention. The application includes a detailed description of the invention, drawings, and a fee. It must also include at least one claim, which is a statement that defines the scope of the invention. A provisional patent application does not require an oath or declaration, but all other applications do.
A more thorough explanation:
PATENT APPLICATION
A patent application is a request made by an inventor to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a patent. It must include a detailed description of the invention, drawings, at least one claim, and a filing fee. If it is not a provisional patent application, it must also include an oath or declaration.
Example 1: John has invented a new type of solar panel that is more efficient than any other solar panel on the market. He files a patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to protect his invention from being copied by others.
Example 2: Sarah has created a new type of software that can detect and prevent cyber attacks. She submits a patent application to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to protect her invention from being stolen by others.
The examples illustrate how inventors use patent applications to protect their inventions from being copied or stolen by others. By filing a patent application, the inventor is requesting that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office grant them exclusive rights to their invention for a certain period of time. This allows the inventor to profit from their invention and prevents others from using or selling it without their permission.