What is patent pending?
Patent pending is a status that is given to an invention when an inventor has filed a patent application but has not yet received a patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Patent pending is an important status for inventors in the United States, as it allows the inventors to label their product as patent pending. This status allows the inventor to protect their invention from potential competitors, who can no longer copy the invention until the patent is awarded. In California, patent pending status is regulated by the USPTO. All patent applications must be filed with the USPTO, and all patent applications must be approved before being granted. The USPTO will review the patent application to make sure that it meets all of the criteria, such as novelty and non-obviousness, before awarding a patent. Once the patent application is approved and the patent is granted, the status of the invention changes to “patent granted” and the inventor can officially label their product as patented. As long as an invention has patent pending status, any person trying to copy the invention could face legal consequences if they continue to do so. Therefore, patent pending is an important status for inventors looking to protect their creations in California.
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