How To Patent Your Mobile App: A Comprehensive Guide

author
Maharshi Pancholi

Head, Mobility | Salesforce | Digital Transformation

In our technological-entrepreneurial world of today, original ideas are precious. This includes apps on smartphones. However, the chances of your invention being stolen are prevalent; hence you need to protect it and claim it as soon as possible. This method is best for saving it and seeking damages in case of misuse.

Many countries are interested in filing their patent applications; around half of all patent applications came from innovations in the digital world. 

Image Source: EPO

While modifying an app, a market copycat could steal your original app idea illegally and then resell your app with less revenue and profits. The best mobile apps companies are here for you. The law isn’t against mobile app ideas but their unauthorized sale or use.

Do people have a fear of someone taking over a fantastic mobile application before they even understand them? It’s not necessary to worry more. It can be patented for free, and you may also use the copy and trademark rights to use it.

Here, you can see the various fields claiming their patent in the past few years. The mobile application needs to do as multiple industries design their applications for the users, whether from medical background or digital technology. 

Image Source: EPO

This way, you can easily protect your ideas against theft. Many entrepreneurs patent an app idea to stop other developers from copying them. 

For instance, big-name like Samsung has a number of patents worldwide.

Image Source: Statista

If it’s not an exclusive or innovative app, you should just keep it in the dark if it’s essentially a similar app. How can you patent the invention of apps?

This post is ideal for those entrepreneurs and businesses looking to create amazing apps. We’ve given you a comprehensive guide to patenting app ideas before talking to anyone else. Read through this post to learn about the patenting of apps ideas.

Do you want to create something new with your mobile phone? Is someone upset by the way you’re using this product before you’re applying it to something you’re doing? Is this true? Patent laws relating to mobile apps are usually good examples. Is there a patentable application?

What Is A Patent?

Image Source: Quickcompany

You probably heard the phrase when you want to start your own business. Sadly there’s hardly a person who knows the whole meaning. The government has granted patents. 

In addition, inventors have the legal right to prosecution for unauthorized use of the product. Initially, this may appear irrelevant, but you can avoid unfavorable scenarios by patenting an invention.

The patent is just a legal instrument regulating intellectual property that is not patented. U.S. Patent & Trademark Offices (USPTO). For better understanding, let’s understand the best case for patents. 

In 1994 there was a massive rivalry between Microsoft and Apple. Apple said Microsoft stole the idea. I think this concept came to Lisa and Mac OS X GUI. The company did not have a patent, so Microsoft fought over it. 

There were numerous times when brands fought over patents to protect their creation; thus, it is essential to patent the application you create.

Image Source: Apple Insider

Patents protect the app’s ideas against unauthorized or nonconsensual use. In addition, it prevents others from selling and changing them based solely on your app concept. 

Patenting your smartphone is also guaranteed in order to prevent others from destroying your app idea or getting the wrong money for your entire app.

How To Patent Your Mobile App?

If your idea is excellent, you shouldn’t just tell everyone. There’s nothing like finding a pearl in water – challenging but worthwhile. The whole thing is true of smartphones. As there are so many competitors, your patent mobile app ideas design should have a unique design, which attracts high numbers.

If you’re worried about other people who’ve already created a similar application, you’ll get a false claim about it. Should avoid this. It is certainly feasible. 

Do apps have other safeguarding features that could protect them from infringement? The following alternatives will help explain them further. 

  • Copyrights: The app’s copyright helps protect application code and UI. Copyrights work when someone else uses them for mobile app ideas, even with more cost savings. 
  • Non-disclosure Agreements: Your employees must sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) voluntarily by the employer to the extent necessary to meet their obligations.
  • In essence, an NDA prevents a company from disclosing any personal data about an app and may be subject to litigation in a similar matter.

Practice Patent Search

Image Source: Ocpatentlawyer

Though you have done your homework, hiring a patent attorney specializing in worldwide market research is always recommended. In the end, it’ll be better to invest the best money and ensure the patent gets approved than start again with the same problem. Find out how it works on USPTO websites.

Start Finding A Patent Attorney

It is impossible to get everything done yourself unless you have authority. To submit a high-level patent application that gets approved quickly and efficiently, you should contact an attorney with extensive experience in the field. 

Because the process involves litigation, hiring an attorney rather than yourself would be wise. These are some of the things you need to consider before you hire an attorney. 

You may be doing homework, but it will be better if your attorney searches the world in a way that has the same flow or similar applications. This is a valuable tool to prevent any other company from being violated. You should also research the USPTO website.

The best software patent lawyer will provide advice and advice in presenting the most effective in your case for selection. It’s advisable to consider this legal procedure which may involve litigation. There’s no reason to hire an attorney. Find the best fit for your budget.

File A Regular Patent Application

Following convention, and you must have a patent before the expiration of a temporary patent application tenure. The patent examiner determines whether your work warrants patents. Regular patents can take between 1-3 years to verify.

Let’s take a look at an example of a patent for the mobile app:

Image Source: Rapackelaw

There are several components to it. Specification: Your app concept should be detailed with unique features to your market. They must also explain the efficient methods of mass-producing the product. 

If your invention is not disclosed, the right to patent your apps could be revoked.

File A Provisional Or Non-Provisional Patent Application

Image Source: Bitlaw

The patent application process can be done in two ways: provisional and non-provisional patent applications. 

Application Provisional – this is a common application for app patents. Under provisional applications, your patent application is permitted without formal registration, claims, or disclosure statements. It is less expensive compared to non-provisional. However, it takes a while to file. 

This is incredibly convenient because the application procedure is easier than ever before. A more cost-efficient provisional application allows a person not to face formal patent claims. Such applications require a detailed presentation of your ideas and illustrations to support your patent claims.

Non-provisional applications are possible, with no suit to be filed in the country of the convention or in the application that’s already in office. Non-provisional can be filed quickly and are more expensive than provisional patent applications. 

Mobile App Invention Disclosure

Image Source: UAB

It’s all about thinking about things. The concept of realizing feasibility can be crucial in determining eligibility criteria for a quote. The courts require that you provide tangible evidence to elicit patents on your invention, so you should document your development.

Alternatively, you can develop prototype applications to break the flow. This is amazingly helpful when determining the legal flowchart because the app’s functionality is not just code that gets patented.

Submit Your Application

It’s the final stage of patenting an invention. The USPTO will then process the application to the patent office for your patent if the above procedure is successful. Although it may be an expensive process involving lots of paperwork, you should always do it. Some important documents that you might need at this stage include.

What Are The Requirements For Patenting A Mobile App?

The main factors for applying for consideration generally apply to each country. It is the same criteria for patenting a software application. For instance, we should examine Alice Corp. vs. CLS Bank International. In 2014, the Supreme Court conducted a dual-phase review.

First, it was essential to determine whether patent claims contained an abstract principle, such as algorithms or general principles. In this case, the process moves on to the next steps as expected. The claim may be patentable if it does not meet any of those requirements.

Requirements For Patenting A Mobile Application

If you haven’t done this yet, patenting the app can be complicated. Therefore you need to understand US Patent and Trademark Office regulations. The application must satisfy three primary criteria that determine a review of the application.

Image Source: Ipleaders

This criterion is usually the same across countries. 

1. No patent is allowed on app development ideas. When you submit a patent application to Apple, you should include everything necessary to your application, including code flow, features, and functions. 

2. The second step is to check if the idea is new in its application.

Our extensive technical experience enables us to deploy and develop more than 500 digital technologies without requiring Patents. 

We think patents can be beneficial in some instances, but it is not a good idea unless there is an entirely new way of doing things and the invention of a new device. It’s challenging and takes money.

Patenting a new smartphone app can be quite a complicated task.

The team of Brainvire is here to walk you through each step of the way and will help you claim your right over your innovation. 

So we’re stating you need to analyze whether it is your intention. We’re also available to develop mobile applications from scratch. How helpful is that blog? Click on the star to see the rating! Averaging five/five.

How Feasible Is A Patent For A Smartphone App Idea?

Image Source: Moveoapps

Of course, patenting mobile apps can be done fast! To achieve that, you should first learn about this endeavor. Note that you are prohibited from patenting a specific app code under national copyright laws. What is the process of obtaining a successful Patent Application?

You may also choose to use patents for the operations and procedures of a smartphone application. Similarly, there is another possibility of getting a Patent on the machine that your application uses, its production material, its development mechanism, etc.

The Pocket Pinch Of An App Patent

It’s no surprise that the costs of patenting smartphones differ depending on their category of invention. Proposed patent prices range from $200 – $ 5000. It is also possible to develop an application after receiving a provisional patent to gauge its performance.

Patents that expire a year before being issued are invalid. In addition, the patent price ranges from $11 000 to-15,000. Immediately after the patent application is submitted, an administrative officer may examine the validity.

Find The Best Time To File A Patent

Image Source: Bitlaw

When we get the idea of patenting apps, we have a question for our clients? Is patenting an invention a good idea? How can companies get patent protection for their app products or services when presenting them in public?

Because patentable apps always have an owner who officially requests it, even when a party had previously never formulated the invention. Hence, the counselors will suggest drafting patented ideas immediately. Public disclosure is possible with the app.

Check If Your App Idea Is Patentable

Image Source: Boldip

Do you have any patents on similar applications? You must check if an app is patentable on another site. For such purposes, a thorough study should be conducted regarding any relevant app idea currently being marketed or pending.

Your country will have the necessary database to store this information. For example, a resident of America should seek USPTO information. You can find out more about this database. So, check the database where your app idea has been found.

It is worth checking the patenting status of your invention. This means evaluating all the associated applications that have been released or are pending. The country or the state has an active database to access the data easily.

The International Patent Identifier Index identifies international patent identifiers and provides a detailed list for each of them in a database compiled by WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization). So it’s easier for app idea patent.

Mobile app development ideas should be personally and deeply cherished. Nobody likes to hear that their original idea is attributed to a different person and a business and that acts evoke bad behavior and manipulative behavior.

Patent ideas can be created in arbitrary ways and can only be patented if they can be applied in concrete ways. What steps are required when a new invention is listed here? Good luck with your Patent!

How Much Does It Cost To Patent A Mobile App?

Tell me the cost of patenting your iPhone? The resulting results are varied in various kinds of Patent applications. The USPTO website provides details about fees and expenses.

Image Source: Blueironip

Apart from that, there are some simple costs you should pay. In short, the charges to apply for pending patents are usually between $2000 to $5000, while the cost to apply for non-approved applications is around $1000 and up to $2500, respectively.

After understanding the costs of general surgery, the first step is to know what time is required for the whole procedure.

In some cases, applications can be denied and resubmitted.

It takes between 4 years and six years. Is Facebook a good product? What’s your view of Mark Zuckerberg gaining Facebook patents in six months? When generating a system, make it useful for your application purposes.

The advantage is the creation and utilization of the idea as an investment. Am I worried the big firms may get it stolen? All right this time. Usually, elephants are fast dead. All companies must deal with these problems.

How Long Does It Take To Patent A Mobile App?

After discussing app patent cost and how to obtain the patent, we need time to analyze the process. Generally, applications are denied, and resubmitting is repeated. Depending on circumstances, these back and forth processes can take between four and six years. Mark Zuckerberg has been pursuing a patent for Facebook since 2012.

Why Is Patenting An App Idea Necessary?

Like a simple fact, a smartphone app is protected under purely legal protection. Furthermore, the official patent allows the claimant to obtain compensation for any violation of current patent law. 

Below is the reason for the necessity for patents. Keep away from fighting in criminal court for alleged infringements; they’re often too costly, mentally or economically.

Image Source: WNPL

Patents on app ideas are granted by those that have filed their patents against the product and not by those that invented them. Often startups point their apps for public use and do not reveal their personal information publicly. 

You could encounter various legal advisors to patent the app before showing it to prospective investors.

Wrap Up

You can patent mobile applications. Depending on your needs, it can be hard to decide when to patent your mobile application. Patent protection is always a vital requirement for app patent protection because it protects your app against copying unauthorized content.

Mobile app design ideas should be personally and deeply cherished. Nobody likes to hear that their original idea is attributed to a different person and a business and that acts evoke bad behavior and manipulative behavior.

Patent ideas can be created in arbitrary ways and can only be patented if they can be applied in concrete ways. The essential steps are required when a new invention is listed here. Good luck with your Patent!

h
About Maharshi Pancholi

Maharshi is an expert in business ideas and strategies. He has always been associated with IT across multiple domains: retail, automobile, education, healthcare, BSFI, and others. He has helped many startups grow their businesses by providing innovative business ideas that have worked wonders for them. To discuss more about your business ideas and strategies, feel free to contact Maharshi.

Lets Connect!