Patent Filing Receipt

According to U.S. patent laws, only the original inventor of an idea or invention can apply for a patent. There are exceptions to this rule, as in the case of the death of the inventor. In this case, a legal representative may apply for the patent. If the inventor is not mentally competent, the inventor’s legal guardian can apply for a patent. If the inventor does not wish to apply for a patent or if the inventor is missing then a co-inventor, joint inventor, or a person with proprietary interests in the invention can apply for a patent. Regardless of how the patent is eventually filed for, everyone who files for a patent will receive a patent filing receipt. A patent filing receipt serves as your official record of having filed for that particular patent on that specific date. A patent filing receipt also serves as a record of all fees paid for that patent.

If two or more persons create an invention in cooperation, they can apply for a joint inventors’ patent. An investor in an invention is not recognized as a joint inventor and cannot be listed as an inventor in the patent application. The patent filing receipt will only be given to the inventor or inventors named in the application. There are no patent filing receipts for financial investors in an invention. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) scrutinize applications for patents and awards patents on inventions that meet the criteria for a patent. The USPTO publishes and distributes patent information, keeps records of assigned patents, maintains search files of national and international patents, and maintains and supplies an archive of issued patents for public use.

The USPTO grants three different types of patents:

Utility Patent – A utility patent may be awarded to an individual, group, or entity that invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement to the previously mentioned.
Design Patent – A design patent may be awarded to an individual, group, or entity that invents a new, original, and ornamental design for an article of manufacture.
Plant Patent – A plant patent may be awarded to an individual, group, or entity that invents or discovers and asexually reproduces any distinct and new variety of plant.

Patent applications are subject to various patent fees, they include a filing fee, search fees, examination fees, and issuance fees. These fees are due at the time of filing for the patent. The USPTO will supply each applicant with a patent filing receipt that will show and itemize all fees paid at the time of filing.