What is the difference between a patent application and a provisional patent application?

In North Dakota, patents are a form of intellectual property, giving the owner exclusive rights to their invention. A patent application and a provisional patent application are two different ways to apply for a patent. A patent application is the more traditional form for submitting a patent request. This type of application must include a detailed description of the invention, called a specification, which will be used to determine if the invention is unique and eligible for patent protection. The patent application must also include drawings or illustrations of the invention. A provisional patent application is a simpler version of a patent application. The invention still needs to be described, but the details do not need to be as comprehensive. A provisional patent application may include sketches or models of the invention, but they do not have to. Provisional patent applications are generally used when the inventor is either not ready to commit to a full patent application, or just wants to establish a patent pending status. The difference between a patent application and a provisional patent application is that a patent application is a full and complete description of the invention and its inventor, while a provisional patent application is a stripped down version of a patent application, with fewer details and illustrations.

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What is the difference between a patent application and a provisional patent application?

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