Patent FAQ
Patent Law FAQ for Irvine & Orange County Inventors
Answers to common patent questions from USPTO-registered patent attorney Mandana Jafarinejad, Esq. For personalized guidance, see the firm's patent services or schedule a free consultation.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
File a patent application with the USPTO. The typical path is: assess patentability, run a prior-art search, draft an application with strong claims, file (provisional or non-provisional), and respond to USPTO office actions until grant. A USPTO-registered attorney can manage each step.
Fees vary with the invention’s complexity and application type (provisional vs. non-provisional, utility vs. design). mjIP offers transparent pricing and a free initial consultation so you understand the full scope before moving forward.
Yes, if the formulation, blend, or process is novel, non-obvious, and useful. See the dietary supplement patent attorney page for detail.
A provisional application secures a filing date and gives you 12 months to file a non-provisional (utility) application; it is never examined and does not itself become a patent. The non-provisional is examined and can mature into an enforceable patent.
Utility patents last 20 years from the earliest non-provisional filing date; design patents last 15 years from grant.