The 60-second version
Patent registration protects inventions for 20 years — file provisional for priority date, complete within 12 months, request examination, and respond to FER objections.
Provisional patent buys 12 months — then complete or lose priority
Indian patent law grants 20-year monopoly for novel, non-obvious inventions with industrial application — file provisional specification to lock priority date cheaply.
Complete specification within 12 months of provisional — request examination within 48 months from priority or filing date.
Copyright lane for software UI: copyright guide; brand: trademark guide.
IP protection comparison
| Right | Protects | Term |
|---|---|---|
| Patent | Invention/process | 20 years |
| Copyright | Code/content | Life + 60 years |
| Trademark | Brand mark | 10 years renewable |
| Trade secret | Undisclosed process | While secret |
Patent sequence
Prior art search
IP India + Google Patents.
Provisional file
Form 1 + Form 2 provisional.
Complete spec
Within 12 months of provisional.
Examination
Form 18 within 48 months.
FER response
Reply to examiner objections.
Timeline
Patent kit
- Invention disclosure.
- Drawings.
- Inventor assignment.
- Form 1.
- Fee receipt.
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Software patents
Pure software algorithms often fail Section 3(k) — copyright may be better first step.
Quick visual
Animated decision map
Community signal
What to watch in real discussions
Search community threads for the exact phrase, then treat repeated complaints as risk signals rather than official advice.
Open nofollow community search ->Interactive checkpoint
Turn this guide into a decision file
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US provisional first?
PCT or Paris Convention within 12 months preserves priority.
Startup?
MSME/startup fee concession on official fees — verify notification.
Employee invention?
Employer owns unless contract says otherwise — file in company name.
Publication before filing?
Prior publication destroys novelty — file before demo day.
Cost?
Provisional ~₹1,600–8,000 official; attorney fees extra.
Timeline to grant?
3–5 years typical after examination request.
The plan is only as good as the sequence.
Tax, banking, schools, shipping — they all have dependencies. A wrong order costs months and lakhs. Get it right.