To receive a patent grant, it is important to draft an impeccable patent application. Drafting an error-free patent application saves unnecessary office actions. Since errors can find their way in the patent application, it may lead to rejection of patent application. Patent Proofreading is the process to identify errors and rectifying them to maintain the accuracy through out the patent application. Let’s understand what patent proofreading is and what role does it play in patent prosecution cycle.
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What is Patent Proofreading?
The patent proofreading is a crucial step during the patent grant process. It can impact the protection of your invention. A well drafted patent application sails smoothly through the patent prosecution cycle. The process helps in maintaining the accuracy and consistency in the patent drafts. It identifies errors and omissions that can lead to patent application rejection.
Importance of Patent Proofreading
The patent proofreading plays a major role in the patent lifecycle. It allows you to identify the errors and enables you to make changes in the patent draft to fix these errors. Before an applicant submits the patent application to the patent office, he/she must ensure that there are no errors in the patent draft.
There are plenty of things such as spelling, punctuation, technical jargon that must be taken care of since it can impact the original meaning of the sentence. The examiner may perceive the statement in a different way that it was intended to be conveyed originally. Patent Proofreading is a way of figuring out that the sentence conveys the same meaning that the applicant wants it to.
While drafting the patent application, the applicant may forget to include the important information. By evaluating the patent application again, the applicant can add the information he/she things is important. Thus, patent proofreading avoids patent rejection, saves time and efforts.
Different Parameters For Patent Proofreading
There are certain parameters for patent proofreading. The professionals will analyze the patent draft to check these contents:
- Grammar
- Spelling
- Formatting
- Consistency
- Claims
Errors in Patent Specification
Even after taking utmost care to prepare a meticulous patent draft, some mistakes may creep in while filing patent application. There are certain common errors that an applicant can make while drafting a patent application.
Scope of Patent
Patent proofreading helps in defining the scope of patent. The scope of patent provides the patent protection. The broader the patent scope is, the higher is the chance of patent rejection. On the other hand, a narrow patent scope limits the patent protection. Thus, it ensures to define the boundaries of protection.
Grammatical Errors
The inconsistencies and the spelling mistakes in the patent draft can totally alter the meaning of the sentence. It may convey a different meaning to the examiner than the intended meaning. Thus, patent proofreading ensures that there are no inconsistencies in the patent application. Likewise, it identifies the wrongly spelt words and makes correction.
Errors Related To Drawings
The main purpose behind including the patent illustration in the patent draft is to explain the idea of invention to examiner in a better way. However, this is one of the areas where applicant commits errors. The applicant fails to adhere to USPTO guidelines of patent illustration. This leads to Office action from the patent offices. In some cases, the applicants do not define the elements in the patent illustration.
Patent Proofreading – When do You Need?
Drafting patent application involves a lot of content which makes it vulnerable to mistakes at different levels. Not just the applicants, the USPTO also makes mistakes in the patent draft. Thus, it makes sense to proofread patent draft at multiple stages to avoid errors and omissions which will save you trouble in the later time.
During Application Filing
Patent proofreading is needed during the application filing. It the stage where the applicant plans to file a patent application secure his/her invention. Several mistakes may go unnoticed during the application filing stage. It may include grammatical errors, claims and more. Proofreading in this stage becomes significant to avoid patent application rejection and to save efforts and time.
Before the grant of Patent
Before the grant of the patent, it is important to proofread the patent application. After the grant of patent, the correction of errors may require huge expense. Correcting the errors in the patent application before the grant of patent keeps the Certificate of Correction Cost.
After the grant of Patent
Patent proofreading becomes essential for applicant once the grant of patent is successful. Proofreading at this process ensures that everything is rightfully incorporated in the patent grant. The professional will proofread the final document.
Conclusion
Patent proofreading is an essential step for the successful grant of patent application. Considering the time and efforts that it takes, the last thing that an applicant would want is the rejection of patent application. Thus, the importance of this process can not be understated.
An intricately drafted patent application increases the chances of patent grant. It reduces the chances of office action thereby makes the entire process seamless and time-saving. The applicant can consider proofreading the patent draft at multiple stages to avoid errors and omissions.
Hire PDC for Patent Proofreading
Patent Drafting Catalyst (PDC) has a team of experienced professional proofreaders who can help you in identifying errors and omissions in the patent draft. So, if you are looking forward to availing proofreading services, our team can assure of the high-quality proofreading service at an affordable price. We have a successfully catered to needs of clients at different levels when it comes to patent related services.
The services of PDC is not limited to proofreading but extend across the IP industry. To know more about us or our services, you can get in touch with us.
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