Almost all new patent applications or correspondence related to patent prosecution may be submitted using Patent Center. The preparation of the patent application itself can take anywhere from a few hours to many months, depending on the complexity of the invention.A provisional patent application is a lower-cost, first patent filing in the US that provides the means to establish an early applicable filing date. In filing a patent application and paying required fees, the USPTO provides forms and an electronic filing tool. Here, we cut through the jargon to identify eight key things you need to know about the prefiling, filing and postfiling patent process. Most importantly, patent applications must be filed within one year of the date an invention is publicly disclosed. GAO makes seven recommendations, including that USPTO more consistently define patent quality and articulate that definition in agency documents and guidance. This is when prosecution begins. Response: The Office recognizes that an RCE is not a complete equivalent to a CPA. After completing this course, students should be able to: 1.