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The Law Office of Joan I. Norek

        Intellectual Property

            Chicago, Illinois

Patents

About Patents
Why Patent It
Public Domain vs Patents
Patent Term
Patent Myths
Internet Issues
Inventors and Assignees
Patent List
Patents Directory
Chemical  Patents
Patent Fields Guide
Patent Search - Basic
Patent Search - Corporate
On-Line Order - Searches
DIY On-Line Patent Check
Patent It or Not
About Patent Applications
Meaningful Patent Protection
Patent Application Outline
Application - Corporate
Application Entry-Costs
Application Examination
Disclosure Documents
Provisional Services
About Provisionals
Provisional vs Non-provisional
Provisional - Attorney Prepared
Provisional Replacement
Patent Consultations
Patent vs Trade Secret
Trade Secrets after Patent Filing
Patents vs Trademarks
Patent Interferences
Patent Infringement
Patent Marking
Patent Ready
Patent Reexaminations

 
Patent Term

how long does it last

Life of U.S. Utility Patent Term

• Begins day of patent issuance

• Ends 20 years after the "effective filing date" plus any days USPTO-added at issuance

• "Effective filing date" is the filing date of the application if no earlier parent application was filed

• If an application claims priority from a a parent or provisional application, the "effective filing date" is the parent's filing date

• Expect significant delay between application filing and patent issuance

• Patent term ends prematurely if periodic maintenance fees not paid

• Different patent term for patent applications filed before June 8, 1995

more topics – about patents, patent or trade-secret it, provisional vs nonprovisional, patent searches, corporate patent applications, entry-level patent applications

Life of U.S. Design Patent Term

• Begins day of patent issuance

• Ends 14 years after issuance

• No maintenance fees are charged

more topics – about patents, patent myths

Life of U.S. Provisional

• A provisional is a patent application, not a patent

• A provisional will never issue, will never become a patent

• Has a 'patent pending' term of one year

• Must file a conventional, non-provisional application within the one year

more topics – provisional vs nonprovisional, about provisionals, about 'patent pending', provisional template & order form, patent myths, public domain vs patents

other topics - corporate patent applications, entry-level patent applications, patent it or not, patent ready, patent or trade secret it, FAQS

questions, inquiries - contact the firm (all contact modes) or call 312.419.8055