A stepbystep overview of a patent application and maintenance process. The five stages of a patent process.Resources are available for Illinois residents to help inventors and entrepreneurs learn more about protecting their intellectual property. This tutorial will focus on patents and the process for securing a patent in the U.S. First, let's consider why we have a patent system? This guide is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice or to substitute for the legal advice of an attorney at law. This class teaches aspiring patent attorneys how to turn a raw invention disclosure into an issued US Patent.