# How you get a patent for an invention

> A process map exported from forks.world (https://forks.world). Author: Brian. Source: https://forks.world/p/cmv21nx10002zl206ninh20ed
> It describes who does what, in what order, and with which technology. Read the plain-language sections first; the JSON at the end is the exact, complete data.

## Summary

- 15 steps across 2 layers
- Persona: Inventor, Patent attorney, Patent office, Competitors

## Pain points

Where this process hurts, worst first:

- **File the application** (How you get a patent for an invention; painful): Filing and legal fees often run into the thousands

## How to read this file

- A process is made of **layers**. The main layer is the top level; any step of kind `subprocess` opens a detail layer with its own lanes and steps.
- **Lanes** are either persona (people/roles) or technology (systems). Each step belongs to one lane; `using` lists tools a person uses for that step.
- Step kinds: `start`, `task`, `decision` (its arrows carry the answer as a label), `subprocess`, `end`.

## How you get a patent for an invention

Lanes:
- Inventor: person / role (id `inv`)
- Patent attorney: person / role (id `atty`)
- Patent office: person / role (id `office`)
- Competitors: person / role (id `rival`)

Steps, in the order they run:

1. **Come up with something new and useful** [start; Inventor; id `a1`]
   - then Search to see if it already exists
2. **Search to see if it already exists** [task; Patent attorney; id `a2`]
   - then Is it new and not obvious?
3. **Is it new and not obvious?** [decision; Patent attorney; id `a3`]
   - if "Yes" go to Write the claims that define what is protected; if "No" go to Change the idea or drop it
4. **Write the claims that define what is protected** [subprocess; Patent attorney; id `a4`], opens the detail layer "What a patent claim says"
   - then File the application
5. **File the application** [task; Patent office; id `a5`] ⚠ PAIN POINT (painful): Filing and legal fees often run into the thousands
   - then An examiner reviews it for a year or more
6. **An examiner reviews it for a year or more** [task; Patent office; id `a6`]
   - then Does the examiner object?
7. **Does the examiner object?** [decision; Patent office; id `a7`]
   - if "Yes" go to Respond and amend the claims; if "No" go to Patent is granted, usually for 20 years
8. **Respond and amend the claims** [task; Patent attorney; id `a8`]
   - then Does the examiner object?
9. **Patent is granted, usually for 20 years** [task; Patent office; id `a9`]
   - then Pay fees to keep it alive and defend it against copycats
10. **Pay fees to keep it alive and defend it against copycats** [task; Inventor; id `a10`]
   - then After 20 years anyone can use the invention
11. **After 20 years anyone can use the invention** [end; Competitors; id `a11`]
12. **Change the idea or drop it** [task; Inventor; id `a3a`]
   - then Come up with something new and useful

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  subgraph l_inv["Inventor"]
    n_a1(["Come up with something new and useful"])
    n_a3a["Change the idea or drop it"]
    n_a10["Pay fees to keep it alive and defend it against copycats"]
  end
  subgraph l_atty["Patent attorney"]
    n_a2["Search to see if it already exists"]
    n_a3{"Is it new and not obvious?"}
    n_a4[["Write the claims that define what is protected"]]
    n_a8["Respond and amend the claims"]
  end
  subgraph l_office["Patent office"]
    n_a5["File the application"]
    n_a6["An examiner reviews it for a year or more"]
    n_a7{"Does the examiner object?"}
    n_a9["Patent is granted, usually for 20 years"]
  end
  subgraph l_rival["Competitors"]
    n_a11(["After 20 years anyone can use the invention"])
  end
  n_a1 --> n_a2
  n_a2 --> n_a3
  n_a3 -->|"Yes"| n_a4
  n_a3 -->|"No"| n_a3a
  n_a3a --> n_a1
  n_a4 --> n_a5
  n_a5 --> n_a6
  n_a6 --> n_a7
  n_a7 -->|"Yes"| n_a8
  n_a7 -->|"No"| n_a9
  n_a8 --> n_a7
  n_a9 --> n_a10
  n_a10 --> n_a11
```

### What a patent claim says (detail of step "Write the claims that define what is protected")

Lanes:
- Patent attorney: person / role (id `atty`)
- Inventor: person / role (id `inv`)

Steps, in the order they run:

1. **Describe the invention as precisely as possible** [start; Patent attorney; id `c1`]
   - then Broader claims protect more but are harder to win
2. **Broader claims protect more but are harder to win** [task; Patent attorney; id `c2`]
   - then Narrow claims are safer but easier to design around
3. **Narrow claims are safer but easier to design around** [end; Patent attorney; id `c3`]

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  subgraph l_atty["Patent attorney"]
    n_c1(["Describe the invention as precisely as possible"])
    n_c2["Broader claims protect more but are harder to win"]
    n_c3(["Narrow claims are safer but easier to design around"])
  end
  n_c1 --> n_c2
  n_c2 --> n_c3
```

## Full data (JSON)

```json
{
  "title": "How you get a patent for an invention",
  "maps": {
    "m_root": {
      "id": "m_root",
      "lanes": [
        {
          "id": "inv",
          "name": "Inventor",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "atty",
          "name": "Patent attorney",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "office",
          "name": "Patent office",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "rival",
          "name": "Competitors",
          "type": "person"
        }
      ],
      "steps": [
        {
          "id": "a1",
          "kind": "start",
          "lane": "inv",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "a2"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Come up with something new and useful"
        },
        {
          "id": "a2",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "atty",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "a3"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Search to see if it already exists"
        },
        {
          "id": "a3",
          "kind": "decision",
          "lane": "atty",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "a4",
              "label": "Yes"
            },
            {
              "to": "a3a",
              "label": "No"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Is it new and not obvious?"
        },
        {
          "id": "a3a",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "inv",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "a1"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Change the idea or drop it"
        },
        {
          "id": "a4",
          "kind": "subprocess",
          "lane": "atty",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "a5"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "child": "m_claims",
          "label": "Write the claims that define what is protected"
        },
        {
          "id": "a5",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "office",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "a6"
            }
          ],
          "pain": {
            "note": "Filing and legal fees often run into the thousands",
            "level": 2
          },
          "uses": [],
          "label": "File the application"
        },
        {
          "id": "a6",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "office",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "a7"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "An examiner reviews it for a year or more"
        },
        {
          "id": "a7",
          "kind": "decision",
          "lane": "office",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "a8",
              "label": "Yes"
            },
            {
              "to": "a9",
              "label": "No"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Does the examiner object?"
        },
        {
          "id": "a8",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "atty",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "a7"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Respond and amend the claims"
        },
        {
          "id": "a9",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "office",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "a10"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Patent is granted, usually for 20 years"
        },
        {
          "id": "a10",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "inv",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "a11"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Pay fees to keep it alive and defend it against copycats"
        },
        {
          "id": "a11",
          "kind": "end",
          "lane": "rival",
          "next": [],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "After 20 years anyone can use the invention"
        }
      ],
      "title": "How you get a patent for an invention",
      "parent": null
    },
    "m_claims": {
      "id": "m_claims",
      "lanes": [
        {
          "id": "atty",
          "name": "Patent attorney",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "inv",
          "name": "Inventor",
          "type": "person"
        }
      ],
      "steps": [
        {
          "id": "c1",
          "kind": "start",
          "lane": "atty",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c2"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Describe the invention as precisely as possible"
        },
        {
          "id": "c2",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "atty",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c3"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Broader claims protect more but are harder to win"
        },
        {
          "id": "c3",
          "kind": "end",
          "lane": "atty",
          "next": [],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Narrow claims are safer but easier to design around"
        }
      ],
      "title": "What a patent claim says",
      "parent": {
        "map": "m_root",
        "step": "a4"
      }
    }
  }
}
```