Permanent Patent

What is the meaning of patent filing?

A patent is a right granted to an individual or enterprise by the government which excludes others from making, using, selling, or importing the patented product or process without prior approval.

Patent filing or patent registration is the first step an inventor takes to protect his/her invention from being misused. Patent filing in India is a fairly complicated ordeal, however, with the right legal guidance, it can be done easily. Any business entity or an individual who believes in securing his patent, which is one of the intellectual properties, should get a legal consultation from expert patent practitioners. Vakilsearch helps you with the simplest way to file a patent.

Who should file a patent?

A patent can be filed by any individual or business that wants to protect an invention or an idea. An invention can be a new product or a new process.

What are the benefits of filing a patent in India?

Certain benefits of filing a patent in India are as follows-

• A patent is a form of encouragement for innovations and inventions. Once an applicant is granted the patent, he or she becomes the exclusive owner of the invention or the idea.
• Filing a patent in India is important for a business as the patent restricts its competitors from copying, selling, or importing its intellectual property without prior permission. This way the patent holder can protect his patent rights in support of the existing laws of the land.
• Patents can be sold and licensed like other forms of property
• A patent is just like any other intellectual property and can be transferred by the inventor.
• A patented product is likely to improve brand perception and potentially enable your business to charge a premium.
• With exclusive patient rights, the owner of the patent controls the use of the invention for twenty years and longer.

What is the procedure to obtain a patent in India?

You can obtain it with the help of Vakilsearch in 3 simple steps, mentioned above

For patent registration in India, you must submit the specified forms at the patent office. If you own a digital certificate of Class 3, you can easily submit it online using the link

In the case of online applications, the patent office will be charging an additional 10% as the fee. It is valid for 20 years from the date of application of the patent.

Offices for patent filing in India are spread across major cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and Delhi. You need to file your patent at the concerned patent offices in your locality.

The step-by-step process of how to patent your idea or invention/intellectual property is mentioned below-

Step 1: Patent Search

For a successful patent registration, you need to ensure that your invention/idea is non-obvious and unique. Carrying out a patent search will help you to ensure this and also to avoid lengthy official procedures. You can search for yourself or can take professional help from experts. You can also conduct a patent search with the help of experts.

You may skip the below-mentioned steps if you come across a similar patent registered already.

Step 2: Filing a patent application:

For patent filing in India, one of the most crucial aspects to consider is the preparation of patent specifications. The entire process of drafting a patent specification is a specialized task that can be done best by experienced professionals only.

Ideation: Here, you need to pen down the idea or concept, clearly mentioning the key details about the invention and the desired patent.

Visualisation: Visualise your idea and elements in the form of diagrams that explain more about the invention.

Verification and Patentability Search: The next step is to verify whether your invention is patentable as per provisions mentioned in the Indian Patent Act. Your ideas/inventions must meet the patentability requirements such as:

• Novelty
• Non-obviousness
• Usefulness
• Patentable subject matter

Drafting a patent application is an art in itself. Seeking the help of a patent professional will be a wise choice here. If you are in the initial stages of the research and development process, then it is best to file an optional preliminary application called the provisional patent application.

Step 3: Preparation of a patentability report

Authorized patent professionals or patent agents will then do extensive research and prepare the patentability report that contains the analyses based on the above-mentioned criteria. You should also attach all the specified documents along with the patent application. Have a thorough check on the documents before submission, to avoid any rejection in the future.

Step 4: Publication of patent application

The application is then published in the Patent Journal within 18 months. A request for early filing of the patent application can be made along with a prescribed fee.

Publication of Filed Patent

For patent registration in India, the Indian patent office keeps every patent application confidential until it gets officially published in the Patent Journal.

The publication of filed patent happens automatically after 18 months from filing the applications, and there is no need for any request to be raised.

To get the patent published in advance, the applicant has to initiate a formal request and it will get published within 1 month of the request.

The publication date does matter the most as the inventor is entitled to protect his work legally, immediately after the publication.

Step 5: Patent Examination

There would be a formal submission of a request for the patent examination which must be filed within 48 months from the first filing of the patent (provisional patent or complete patent). If the applicant fails to file within the time frame specified in the Patent Act, the application will be treated as withdrawn by the patent office. The examiner then conducts a comprehensive investigation and releases the first examination report called patent prosecution.

Step 6: Patent objections

It is common for patent applicants to receive objections, like “inconsistent or unclear claims”, “invention lacking novelty”, etc. Hence, it is mandatory to analyze the patent examination report and draft a proper response to the objections.

Step 7: Grant of patent

Once all the patentability requirements are met, the notification to grant patent will be published in the Patent Journal.

How to make money by patenting your invention?

By obtaining a patent in India, you can not only protect your patent rights but can also make money from your patient by either licensing it or selling it.

Licensing a Patent:

A patent owner can license his idea to a person, and assign patent rights to the licensee to sell or make the patented invention. The patent holder can control these patent rights. A license agreement must include an upfront payment and a royalty percentage. The royalty is the percentage of the revenue earned from the licensed product over some time.

Selling Of Patent:

A patent filed in India can be sold to anyone within the country. That is, a patent can be sold in India if the inventor has patented his invention in India. By selling patents, inventors can usually demand a lump-sum payment and can enjoy the long-term benefits. He can be free from maintenance fees for the patent, litigation fees, and most importantly, will remain free from worrying about future economic recession, if any.

Why Should You Opt For A Patent Attorney/Agent?

patent attorney meaning:

Often the terms “patent lawyer” or “patent agent” are interchangeable but still there are some differences between them in some instances. Patent lawyers are legally qualified to provide advice on intellectual property, infringement, and represent others in a court of law. Patent lawyers are also registered with the bar council whereas a patent agent generally holds a degree in engineering, science, and technology.

Licensed Patent agents in India

Before going for a patent filing in India, it is highly recommended to consider a licensed patent agent. A licensed patent agent in India is an individual registered for practicing before the Indian Patent Office. Patent agents will help in filling out the necessary forms, contacting the patent office, prosecuting patent applications, and in following up with any issues that may arise during the filing of the patent. To become a patent agent, the individual should be a citizen of India above 21 years of age and must have cleared the patent agent examination.

A patent examiner is a person who sends the list of rejections and at times when there arises a need to modify the patent application, the patent agent can intervene and address the issue or argue against the rejection.

Although the patent law does not mandate the assistance of a patent attorney or a patent lawyer, it is highly advisable to hire an agent because:

• Patent documents are complex and require technical expertise and legal knowledge to draft and file the application.
• Legislation of many countries requires an applicant, who resides in a foreign country or if the principal place of business is in some other country, be represented by a patent agent or attorney.

According to the Indian Patents Act, 1970, a patent agent is entitled to:

• Practice before the Controller
• Prepare all documents, transact all business and discharge such other functions as may be prescribed in connection with any proceeding before the Controller under this Act

Why is provisional patent application a good idea before filing the patent application?

A provisional patent application secures your date and work. This means that none of your competitors can file for a similar invention once you file for a provisional patent application.

• As India follows the first-to-file system, this ensures that the holder of the provisional patent stand a good chance of being granted the permanent patent
• There is a buffer time of 12 months to further develop your invention and to specify the complete details. The application gets abandoned upon expiry of 12 months of the application
• The cost and resource involved for provisional patent application are less when compared to the permanent patent
• The provisional specification helps you assess the market potential of your invention before taking the final plunge and filing a complete specification.
• Once you are ready with your R&D and your invention’s detailed specifications, you can go in for a complete patent application.

How can Vakilsearch help you in the Patent Filing process?

Vakilsearch can assist, right from applying for the granting of the patent. You can file both provisional patent and permanent patent applications with us.

Examination of Details

We will examine all the possible details, including potential uses of the invention across industries and the benefits over existing products.

Drafting of Application

We will recommend a verified lawyer who will take up your request and draft the application based on the details you provide.

Filing of Application

The drafted document will be filed with the Registrar and, on acceptance; you would be able to use 'Patent Pending' on your product any time during the next year. You can also check your patent application status on our user-friendly online portal from time to time.

Why Vakilsearch?

Access to Experts

We connect you to verified expert lawyers, who will work on your documents until you're completely happy. You can track the progress on our platform at all times.

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Clients are delighted with our service! They have consistently rated us highly because of our focus on simplifying legal requirements and providing regular updates.

300+ Strong Team

Our team of experienced business advisors are just a phone call away, should you have any queries about the process. Our team will ensure that your interaction with professionals is smooth and seamless.