What are the steps involved to obtain a patent?
Typically, the patent process begins with a patentability search to determine whether there are any clear obstacles to obtaining a valid patent.
The second step in the patenting process involves preparing and filing a patent application. A patent application must be filed in each country in which patent protection is sought, although there are options for deferring some of these costs (see our primers on provisional patent applications and international patent filing for more information). We work with our clients to develop patent filing strategies that are sensible having regard to their business goals and financial resources.