I am going to discuss here what are some common patent myths. The first patent myth that I come across is that patents issue very quickly. That is not the case. It takes a long time, because it is a monopoly right and it is examined by the US Patent Office. They evaluate whether the merits of your invention warrant this monopoly right. They examine the closest prior art. It is a negotiation between the applicant and the Patent Office. Usually, it takes anywhere between three to five years to get a patent issued in the US. That is one myth that a patent issues quickly. There are no forms that you can fill out. Every patent application is different. Every invention is different. There are lots of best practices of writing patent applications many of which are codified in Patent Express here but, at the same time, it is a complicated process. There are no forms that you could fill out as for other types of things such as wills or trusts or estates that are simple. Patents are by nature complex. However, if guided properly, as done through Patent Express, you will have the tools to write a very good patent application. So that is what we are offering here.
Another myth of patents is that it is predictable as to how much patent applications will cost. That is not exactly true. While the filing of the patent application can be fixed sometimes, because the attorney might agree or the filing fees are fixed, the office actions which might come during the process of getting the patent application through the system is unpredictable. Some cases might have two office actions. Others might have four. Depending on the number of responses and the complexity of those responses, it may cost more or less to get a patent issued. Typically, if you hire a US patent attorney, it will cost between $10,000 and $25,000 to get a patent issued. If you do that on your own, it could cost you anywhere between $1,000 to $10,000 depending on how many claims you have and how complex the prosecution ends up being.