Summary
Explaining what a provisional patent application is
A “provisional” patent application is a slimmed-down version of a patent application that allows inventors to get a filing date at the USPTO. Provisional patent applications are often filed to allow the inventor to begin testing the waters to see if the invention is viable and marketable before having to file a more expensive, full-blown patent application.
The provisional application, however, is not examined, but merely holds the inventor’s place in line at the USPTO. To claim the benefit of the provisional application, the inventor must still file a full patent application (sometimes called a “non-provisional”) within 12 months of the provisional’s filing date.
The USPTO has more here.