A provisional patent application allows you to file without a formal patent claim, oath or declaration, or any information disclosure (prior art) statement. A stepbystep overview of a patent application and maintenance process.The five stages of a patent process. Determine the type of Intellectual Property protection that you need. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is the federal agency for granting U.S. patents and registering trademarks. 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. What's needed to submit an application? Filing a utility non-provisional patent application can be a difficult process. FindLaw provides you with a guide to help you understand the process. Here's how to get a U.S. patent on your idea or invention without a lawyer.