Recently, I submitted the forms to file for a provisional patent at the USPTO. I opted to do the paperwork and research myself, instead of using either a patent clerk or patent attorney. They have two very helpful centers called Inventors Assistance Center and Application Assistance Unit. They can assist and guide an inventor through the process of filing. In the end, I filed as a small entity for a provisional patent, which came out to a $110 filing fee. This gives me one year to file for an issued patent. I just filed this week, so it will probably be a little while before I hear anything. The forms I filed were: * Application Data Sheet * Provisional Patent Cover Sheet * Fee Transmittal * Credit Card Payment Form
