Definition
A patent application is the set of documents, including a written description, claims, and drawings, submitted to a patent office to begin the process of obtaining a patent.
Why It Matters Legally
Filing an application establishes a priority date that can defeat later inventors and competitors. Mistakes in the original filing are often impossible to fix later, so the quality of the application shapes the strength of any patent that issues.
Example Use Case
An inventor files a non-provisional patent application with the USPTO describing a new medical device, starting the examination process that may lead to a granted patent.
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Related Terms
Provisional Application, Non-Provisional Application, Priority Date, Patent Prosecution, Specification