Having a bright idea does not mean you should immediately have it patented. If you understand the process of patenting, you will realise that it is indeed a bad idea to ask for your invention to be patented if you know that there are already existing inventions that are similar or exactly the same as yours.

Hence, before you start gathering your documents for a patent application, you need to understand the initial steps of the process.

Patent search

This is the first phase of the process. This is where you look for similar inventions. You won’t necessarily end up getting rejected for similar ideas, but the chances are high. It might be possible to slightly tweak your invention so that it will still look novel and increase the possibility of getting accepted.

Understand the requirements

There are forms that have to be completed and documents to be submitted before your application is processed. You need to understand what these requirements are. You should also prepare some of them or ask someone to do it on your behalf, especially if you are too busy. At this point, you can still decide not to push through with your plans. You already understand the gravity of this process, so you can just opt not to apply for a patent.

Look for a patent lawyer

Before you start anything, make sure that you have a patent lawyer by your side. You want someone telling you the steps involved in patent application approval. It also helps if there is an expert by your side to boost your confidence. When you have to wait for a long time just to gather all your documents, you might feel like giving up. It will be different if there is a legal expert to tell you that there is hope.

Conversely, if your patent application will most likely end up in rejection, you will be told right away. This is important, since you won’t have to pursue your plans for a patent or incur unnecessary expenses. In the end, if your application is rejected, you can once again ask your lawyer to help you out in appealing the rejection.

You also need patent writing software if you want to finish the application faster. Although you can manually gather the documents, it is better if you have software to speed up the process.

Just be patient. Preparation is the key to success. Understanding the process is also valuable. Most of all, even if you fail to get your patent approved, it should not in any way dampen your spirit and make you give up the fight.