UNIPAT.ORG - SPECIAL PROGRAM
FOR INDEPENDENT INVENTORS


        The founders of UNIPAT.ORG have had long personal experience with the inventing and entrepreneuring efforts usually associated with patenting. Therefore, we have developed a deep understanding of, and sympathy for, the "plight of the small independent inventor".
        Fortunately, a fairly recent development within the US Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO"), permits a "small entity" (i.e., independent inventor or small corporation) to file -- for less than $100 -- what is called a Provisional Patent Application.
        This application does not result in a patent but, rather, reserves an inventor's right for one full year to file the regular Utility Patent Application on their invention. The Utility Application will benefit from the date of the earlier Priority Application as the date of invention; and, patent applications can also be filed in virtually all foreign countries as a result of this application.
        Further, once the Provisional Application is filed, the invention is "Patent Pending". Thus, since whatever rights the inventor will eventually obtain have been reserved (remember: there are no guarantees that any application will result in a valid patent) it is much safer to proceed with disclosures and attempts to obtain financing and strategic partnerships.
        An additional benefit of the Provisional Application is that the term of the patent, which is at most 20 years from the date of filing, does not include the year of the provisional protection; so, the term of a patent may be effectively extended by a year, if it will take substantial time in the early stages to obtain financing or develop a market.
        The only drawback is that the Provisional Application needs to be essentially as detailed and as thorough as the later Utility Application. Since the inventor is relying on the earlier Provision Application for the date of his invention, if this earlier application is insufficient in any significant way (even if it is later fixed in the Utility Application) the earlier date may be denied.
        Therefore, even though the Provisional Application is widely thought of as an "informal" or "quickie" patent application, this is not true. It must be virtually as good as a regular application. However, it takes time as well as (usually more important) money, to write a thorough application. Thus, even though the fees to the USPTO for the Provisional Application are only 20% or less of the Utility Application, the total cost of the Provisional may be almost as high, when the costs of writing the application are figured in.
        In order to help small independent inventors take advantage of the Provisional Patent Application (and take advantage of the year afforded by it, in order to obtain backing, or do a patent search or market research) UNIPAT.ORG will consider deferring half of the patent drafting fees (which are generally between $1,500 and $7,500) for one year, or to be paid when the (esentially) same document is re-filed as a Utility Patent.
        In exchange for our taking a gamble with you on your invention, we require a minority share of the royalties (generally 5% to 20%, depending on our evaluation of the potential of your invention, and the complexity of writing your aplication) if your invention eventually generates income for you.
        A $350 fee for the evaluation of your technology is applicable towards the cost of drafting your patent should you decide to file either a Provisional or Utility Application. For additional information please
contact us.

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Profile of Anne C. Avellone
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Special Program for Independent Inventors


Anne C. Avellone & David M. Geshwind
UNIPAT.ORG
Two Lincoln Square - Suite 36-J - New York, NY 10023
212/787-1275 (Voice) - acaesq@mindspring.com (EMail)

Revision: January 2001 - All text, graphic and design elements TM & © 2001