If you are reading this, you are probably aware that to obtain a granted patent from the government, the invention must be novel. Novelty means that the invention must not have been disclosed anywhere in the world, whether by publication, sale or use. This means that the invention has to be kept confidential until the patent application is filed. 

 

One way to stop the so-called clock effectively is to file a provisional patent application. A provisional patent application is simply an application that adequately describes the invention without any claims in order to secure a filing date. Once a filing date is secured, you can disclose your invention to the public, market your invention without fear of losing patent rights and continue fund-raising activities.  At this point, you will also have a temporary 'Patent Pending' status for 12 months. 

 

A point to note is that a provisional patent application should be understood as nothing more than a first step to receiving a patent. Ultimately, a complete patent application with claims will have to be filed by 12 months from the filing date of the provisional patent application in order to obtain a patent in Singapore. The 12 months period allows the applicant to develop the invention and to assess the commercial viability of the invention before committing to more resources in filing a complete patent application.

 

To sum it up, a provisional patent application is a cheap and effective way to obtain a 'Patent Pending' status while you continue marketing and developing your product or service with a peace of mind. 

 

 

From experience, the invention as you initially conceive will not be the final product or service that is ultimately patented. As you progress and develop the final product or service, you will continue working and refining it, making improvements and perfecting the invention. It is difficult to describe the invention in its full glory if it is still in its infancy stage. Filing a provisional application is ideal at this stage while you continue to work on improving, refining and perfecting the invention.

 

If you need to disclose your invention to a third party, for example, to raise investment from investors, or to disclose drawings to a manufacturer, it is critical that a patent application is filed before disclosure. If public disclosure is imminent, say, in a week or two, it is ideal to file a provisional patent application as soon as possible so that you do not lose your patent rights. For more information on a provisional patent application can help secure your patent rights in certain scenarios, please click here.   

 

If you would like to request provisional application samples from us, please send us an email request below.