A DIY patent writer inventor has to pay a lot of money to the USPTO in fees. Every contact with the USPTO has a fee: a filing fee, an issue fee, patent maintenance fees (about every 4 years (year 3.5, year 7.5, and year 11.5), a petition fee, late fee. The late fee is for lateness on the maintenance fee. There's a 6-mo. grace period for each maintenance fee before the USPTO abandons your patent, but if you pay during Grace, you're paying a late fee too. I wonder if each office action from the USPTO is accompanied by a fee for the inventor's response.
The pro se patent writer can get a 75% discount if she is a micro-entity. Not sure on what the exact details of the micro entity are, but I think an individual inventor working from home would qualify. It's to do with gross income. Universities might also qualify for the 75% discount, but I am not sure of this. Businesses and schools that don't qualify can still get a 50% discount if they have < 500 employees.
I don't like the idea of inventing something as a school employee because usually the school has you assign the invention to them. Assignment means that all the rights are transferred, even the right to file the patent.
The pro se patent writer can get a 75% discount if she is a micro-entity. Not sure on what the exact details of the micro entity are, but I think an individual inventor working from home would qualify. It's to do with gross income. Universities might also qualify for the 75% discount, but I am not sure of this. Businesses and schools that don't qualify can still get a 50% discount if they have < 500 employees.
I don't like the idea of inventing something as a school employee because usually the school has you assign the invention to them. Assignment means that all the rights are transferred, even the right to file the patent.
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