Patent Services

Patent Applications

Smit & Van Wyk, Inc. services include patent applications.

A patent application is to request a patent at the patent office for the grant of a patent an invention.

A patent application consists of the patent specification together with official forms and correspondence relating to the application.

In order to obtain the grant of a patent, the inventor or the patent attorneys must file an application at the patent office with jurisdiction to grant a patent in the geographic area over which coverage is required.

Once the patent specification complies with the laws of the office concerned, a patent may be granted for the specific invention.

Negotiating or arguing with the patent office for the grant of a patent, and interaction with a patent office with regard to a patent after its grant, is known as patent prosecution.

Patent prosecution is distinct from patent litigation which relates to legal proceedings for infringement of a patent after it is granted.