Patent Guide: Allowance of your Application

We did it!  Take a look:

Now we pay another fee . . . and you get a patent!

For utility patent applications, they are enforceable for 20 years from the date of earliest filing date in the patent chain (we’ll leave it at that for now).  This length of patent can also extend past the 20 years if there is too much delay in examination on the part of the patent office.

For design patent applications, they last 15 years from the date of issuance.

For utility patents – further fees must be paid to keep the patents in force.  The idea behind this – other than money for the government – is that the patent holder will pay to keep exclusive rights and if it isn’t worth the cost, then let it go out to the public to use the technology.