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PATENTS
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Getting a Patent on Your Own

Thousands of inventors have successfully filed patents on their own, without the assistance of a lawyer. To obtain a patent, you must ensure that your invention qualifies for a patent and then be able to describe it in your application. By taking the proper steps -- none of which requires "legal" skills -- you can obtain a patent.

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Basics of Provisional Patent Applications
Filing a provisional patent application protects your invention while buying time to file a regular patent application.

Patent Drawings: Draw Your Own
You can prepare your own patent application drawings -- here's how.

Profiting From Your Patent FAQ
Once you have a patent, learn how to make it profitable by licensing or selling it.

one-year rule

The rule that requires a patent application to be filed within one year of the following: any public use of the invention by the inventor, a sale of the invention, an offer to sell the invention, or any description of the invention by the inventor in a published document. Failure to file a patent application within this one-year period results in the invention's passing into the public domain, where it is no longer eligible for a patent.

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Nolo's Online Provisional Patent Application
Nolo's Online Provisional Patent Application
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Patent It Yourself
Patent It Yourself
Book / $31.49
eBook / $27.99

Patent Pending in 24 Hours
Patent Pending in 24 Hours
Book / $22.04
eBook / $20.99

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