Patent seekers must first make sure their invention is indeed original. The first step is to do a patent search. In the period before computers and the Internet, a patent search was done by pouring through volumes at the patent library in Washington, D.C. As of 2011, the USPTO provides access to this information via the Internet. You can search from the comfort of your home. The USPTO website contains an internal search engine. The database extends back to the year 1790. You enter the first term of your invention in the "Term One" field and then choose where that word appears in "Field One," such as the abstract or the title. It's best to search the abstracts first, since they are condensed descriptions of the patents. If you have a second term, enter that into the "Term 2" box. For example, you invented a new type of coffee filter. Enter "coffee" and "filter" in the boxes. Clicking on the "Search" buttons brings up all the inventions whose names or functions are described using the words "coffee" and "filter." A search using the term "Coffee filter" brings up 519 patents. It is now up to you to look through each patent to make sure your invention is actually original. Bear in mind the process is easier with the Internet, but it is not easy. If your invention has three or more words, you have to do a more elaborate search. For this reason, patent search companies can do a search for you and write you a report on the status of your idea.
You have to determine the patent type.There are three types of patents: Utility, Plant, and Design. Utility patents are for machines or new processes. Plant patents are for plants, such as a new type of peach cross-breed. Design patents are for ornaments, such as a new kind of clock face design.
The USPTO provides a flow chart for you to follow in filing a patent. This is a powerful tool, since it can guide you step by step. Each box contains a question which directs the user to a subsequent box. For example, which type of patent are you filing for? You follow the arrows based upon your answer. This flow chart is similar to computer programming, in which questions and answers are routed logically.
The process for filing and finally obtaining a patent is extremely complex. Furthermore, it is lengthy. Your application has to wait in line, sometimes for years. Also, the language of an application does not follow the rules of spoken English. It is legal English, since all ambiguity in the verbiage must be eliminated. For all these reasons, the USPTO strongly recommends you hire a patent attorney.
In order for you to see the drawings when doing a search, you will need a TIFF viewer plug-in for your browser. TIFF stands for Tagged Image File Format, which is a type of interactive picture.The USPTO understands this, so it has provided a reference of several reputable companies that give away TIFF viewers. Viewer plug-ins are made for Apple computers, PC based computers, or Linux based computers. All are given away free, as a public service. .