# Patent attorney services for inventors and businesses

> Flat-fee patent attorney services for founders and inventors nationwide. Start with a $999 patentability search, then provisional, utility or design patents.

Page: https://arapackelaw.com/patents/  
Title: Flat-Fee Patent Attorney Services | Rapacke Law Group  
Breadcrumb: [Home](https://arapackelaw.com/) / [Patents](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/)

Registered patent attorneys with engineering backgrounds and one flat fee for each step. Start with the search to know it’s patentable before you file, or get your money back.

- $999 patentability search
- No hourly billing
- 2,000+ patents and trademarks secured

## Patent services for every kind of invention.

Pick what you are protecting to see what is patentable, how the filing works and how long it takes. The covered services carry The RLG Guarantee.

- [Patentability Search](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/patentability-search/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/patents/patentability-search.md). Know it’s patentable before you file. Search $999. Covered by The RLG Guarantee.
- [Utility Patents](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/utility-patents/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/patents/utility-patents.md). Protect how an invention works. Utility $7,000 to $12,000.
- [Design Patents](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/design-patents/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/patents/design-patents.md). Protect how a product looks. Design $3,200. Covered by The RLG Guarantee.
- [Provisional Patents](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/provisional-patents/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/patents/provisional-patents.md). Patent pending while you build. Provisional $2,500 to $3,500. Covered by The RLG Guarantee.
- [Software Patents](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/software-mobile-app-patent/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/patents/software-mobile-app-patent.md). Mobile apps and software platforms. Software provisional $2,500 to $3,500.
- [SaaS Patents](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/saas-patent-attorney/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/patents/saas-patent-attorney.md). Cloud and subscription software. Software provisional $2,500 to $3,500.
- [AI Patents](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/ai-patent-attorney/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/patents/ai-patent-attorney.md). Models, training and AI products. Software provisional $2,500 to $3,500.
- [Medical Device Patents](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/medical-device-patents/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/patents/medical-device-patents.md). Devices, diagnostics and MedTech. Provisional $2,500 to $3,500.
- [PCT Patents](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/pct-patents/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/patents/pct-patents.md). Protect an invention abroad. PCT application $12,000.
- [Patent Office Actions](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/patent-office-actions/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/patents/patent-office-actions.md). Answer a USPTO rejection. Per response $2,500 to $3,500.
- [Post-Grant Proceedings](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/post-grant-proceedings/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/patents/post-grant-proceedings.md). Challenge or defend an issued patent. Quoted flat on your call.

## Not sure which you need?

Most inventors are not, and that is fine. Answer a few questions and the Intelligent IP Quiz points you to the right start, with the flat fee for each. [Take the Intelligent IP Quiz](https://arapackelaw.com/intelligent-ip-quiz/).

- It is new in how it works. [A utility patent, often with a provisional first](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/utility-patents/)
- It is new in how it looks. [A design patent for the product or the interface](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/design-patents/)
- You are still building it. [A provisional, for patent pending while you finish](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/provisional-patents/)
- The USPTO has written back. [An office action response, filed before the deadline](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/patent-office-actions/)

## Know it’s patentable before you file. Or get your money back.

A registered patent attorney searches US and foreign patents and tells you whether your invention is novel, before you spend on filing. If it isn’t, you get a full refund. If it is, the search fee is credited toward a design or non-provisional application.

**Patentability search, $999.** Flat fee, credited toward a design or non-provisional application. Report in about 5 days.

- An invention discovery call with your attorney
- A search of US and foreign patents and published applications
- A written patentability report
- A review call on the strategy that fits

If the search finds your invention is not novel, a full refund or another search, your choice. If you move forward, the $999 is credited toward a design or non-provisional application.

## Patent attorneys who know your field.

Our patent attorneys come from engineering and science. Pick your industry to see what we protect there and how we time the filings.

- [3D printing](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/3d-printing/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/3d-printing.md). Printers, processes, materials and the products they make.
- [Aerospace](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/aerospace/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/aerospace.md). Aircraft, drones and spacecraft, protected before the first public flight.
- [AI and machine learning](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/ai-machine-learning/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/ai-machine-learning.md). Models, training methods and the AI features inside your product.
- [Autonomous vehicles](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/autonomous-vehicles/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/autonomous-vehicles.md). Sensing, navigation and control systems for vehicles that drive themselves.
- [Blockchain](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/blockchain/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/blockchain.md). Protocols, wallets and the technical methods behind decentralized products.
- [Computer hardware](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/computer-hardware/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/computer-hardware.md). Components, peripherals and the systems that tie them together.
- [Consumer electronics](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/consumer-electronics/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/consumer-electronics.md). Devices people carry and use every day, from how they work to how they look.
- [Consumer products](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/consumer-products/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/consumer-products.md). Everyday products and the brands on them, protected before launch.
- [Cybersecurity](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/cybersecurity/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/cybersecurity.md). Security software and hardware, and what to patent or keep secret.
- [Defense](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/defense/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/defense.md). Defense technology, planned around contracts and export rules.
- [Digital health](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/digital-health/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/digital-health.md). Telehealth, remote monitoring and health apps, built around patient data.
- [E-commerce](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/ecommerce/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/ecommerce.md). Online brands and Amazon sellers, from the trademark to the product itself.
- [Electrical hardware](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/electrical/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/electrical.md). Power electronics, controls, sensors, batteries and motors, from circuit to system.
- [Energy and clean tech](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/energy/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/energy.md). Batteries, solar, storage, charging and the grid, from the cell to the system.
- [Fintech](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/fintech/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/fintech.md). Payments, lending and trading technology, claimed as technical improvements.
- [Gaming](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/gaming/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/gaming.md). Game engines, mechanics, controllers and titles, protected before the reveal.
- [Medical devices](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/medical-devices/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/medical-devices.md). Devices, diagnostics and software as a medical device, timed with the FDA.
- [Robotics](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/robotics/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/robotics.md). Robots, grippers and the software that moves them, protected before the pilot.
- [Semiconductors](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/semiconductors/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/semiconductors.md). Chip design, fabrication processes and packaging.
- [Software and SaaS](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/software-saas/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/software-saas.md). The methods your platform performs, protected however the code is written.
- [Sporting goods](https://arapackelaw.com/industries/sporting-goods/) (Markdown https://arapackelaw.com/industries/sporting-goods.md). Equipment and gear, from how it performs to the design customers recognize.

## What to know before you file a patent.

Plain answers to the questions inventors ask most, from what a patent actually gives you to when to file. General information, not advice on your invention.

### What does a patent give you?

A US patent gives you the right to exclude others from making, using, selling, offering to sell or importing your invention in the United States for the patent's term. It is a right to stop others, not a permit to sell your own product. If your product uses someone else's patented technology, you can still need their permission.

In exchange, your invention becomes public. Most applications are published 18 months after the earliest filing date, and every granted patent is public. Patents are also territorial, so a US patent covers the US only.

### What are the types of patents?

*Types of patents*

| Type | What it protects | How long it lasts |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [**Utility patent**](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/utility-patents/) | How an invention works, such as a machine, a process, software or a new material | Generally 20 years from the date the full application is filed, if maintenance fees are paid |
| [**Design patent**](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/design-patents/) | How a product looks, including a screen or interface | 15 years from the date it is granted, with no maintenance fees |
| [**Provisional application**](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/provisional-patents/) | Not a patent. It holds your filing date while you prepare the full application | 12 months, which cannot be extended. It is never examined |
| **Plant patent** | A new plant variety reproduced asexually | 20 years from filing |

Utility and design patents often work together. A new product can have a utility patent on how it works and a design patent on how it looks.

### What can and can't be patented?

Under 35 U.S.C. 101, a patent can cover four kinds of things. A process (a method or series of steps), a machine, an article of manufacture or a composition of matter, plus any new and useful improvement to one of them. Courts have long excluded three categories, even when they are new.

- **Abstract ideas.** Mathematical formulas, mental steps and ways of organizing human activity, like a business method or the rules of a game.
- **Laws of nature.** A natural relationship, such as how the body metabolizes a drug, cannot be claimed on its own.
- **Natural phenomena.** Things found in nature, such as a naturally occurring gene or mineral, cannot be patented as they exist.

An application of one of these can still be patentable when it adds something more, and that is where most software and diagnostics cases are decided. Our [software patent attorney](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/software-mobile-app-patent/) page explains the Alice test that applies to software. A bare idea cannot be patented either. You need to describe how to make and use the invention, though you do not need a prototype.

### What does the USPTO require to grant a patent?

An examiner checks your claims against four requirements before a patent is granted.

*What the USPTO examines*

| Requirement | What it means | Law |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **New** | No single earlier patent, publication, product or public use already shows the invention | 35 U.S.C. 102 |
| **Non-obvious** | It would not have been obvious to a skilled person from what already existed, including combinations of earlier work | 35 U.S.C. 103 |
| **Useful and eligible** | It works, has a practical use and falls within what can be patented | 35 U.S.C. 101 |
| **Fully described** | The application explains how to make and use it in enough detail, and the claims say clearly what is covered | 35 U.S.C. 112 |

Most applications receive at least one office action, a written rejection or objection from the examiner, before they are allowed. Answering it is a normal part of the process. More on [patent office actions](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/patent-office-actions/).

### Provisional or utility patent, which should you file first?

A provisional is a lower-cost placeholder. A utility (non-provisional) application is the one the USPTO examines, and the only one that can become a patent.

*Provisional and utility applications compared*

| Compare | Provisional application | Utility application |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Examined by the USPTO** | No, never | Yes |
| **Can become a patent** | No, not on its own | Yes |
| **Formal claims required** | No, though a complete description is | Yes |
| **Patent pending** | Yes, from the filing date | Yes, from the filing date |
| **How long it lasts** | 12 months, then it expires | Examination often takes 2 to 3 years. A granted patent runs about 20 years from filing |
| **Our flat fee** | $2,500 to $3,500 | $7,000 to $12,000, drawings and USPTO filing fees included |
| **When it fits** | Locking in a date before you launch, pitch or keep building | A stable invention you are ready to have examined |

Many clients file a provisional first, then the utility application within 12 months, claiming the provisional's date. The utility application can only rely on what the provisional actually describes, so a thin provisional protects little. More on [provisional patents](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/provisional-patents/).

### Patent attorney or patent agent, what is the difference?

Both are registered to practice before the USPTO after passing the same registration exam, and both can prepare and prosecute patent applications. A patent attorney is also a licensed lawyer. A patent agent is not, so an agent cannot give legal advice outside USPTO practice, such as on contracts, licensing or ownership, or represent you in court.

That matters for founders, because patent questions rarely stay at the USPTO. Investors ask who owns the IP, licenses need drafting and a copycat may need a letter. Your application is drafted by a registered patent attorney, and [our team](https://arapackelaw.com/learn-more/the-team/) includes a former USPTO examiner.

### Patentability search or freedom-to-operate search?

They answer different questions. A patentability search asks whether your invention is novel enough to patent. It looks at earlier patents, published applications and other publications from anywhere in the world, including ones that have expired.

A freedom-to-operate review asks whether your product would infringe someone else's patent that is still in force, in the countries where you plan to sell. It reads the claims of live patents against what you plan to make. Getting your own patent does not answer that question, because a patent gives you the right to exclude others, not a right to sell.

Most inventors start with the [patentability search](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/patentability-search/), because it decides whether filing makes sense. A freedom-to-operate review matters most before a large launch or manufacturing run in a crowded field, and your attorney can tell you on your strategy call whether one is worth doing.

### How do you protect an invention outside the US?

There is no single worldwide patent. You file in each country or region where you want protection, and two treaties make that manageable.

- **Paris Convention.** You have 12 months from your first filing, including a US provisional, to file in other member countries and keep your original filing date.
- **Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).** One international application preserves your right to file in any of the 159 PCT member countries. The national filings, where most of the cost starts, usually come due at 30 months from your first filing date.

The PCT buys time to test the market and raise money before you choose countries. Each country still examines and grants its own patent under its own rules.

### When should you file a patent application?

Sooner is safer. Since March 16, 2013, the US has been a first-inventor-to-file system, so when two people file for the same invention, the earlier filing date generally wins.

The US gives inventors a one-year grace period after their own public disclosure, such as a launch, a sale, a publication or a public demo. Europe, China and many other countries have no general grace period like it, so disclosing first can cost you foreign rights even when US rights survive. If anything coming up would make the invention public, file before it. A provisional is often the quickest way.

> **Until you file**
>
> Use NDAs for manufacturer and partner conversations where you can, and keep public pitches and posts to what the product does, not how it works.

## From first call to a filed patent.

What happens at each step and who does the work. Timing shown is typical, never a promised date.

1. **Strategy call** (Day one). Free. Walk an attorney through what you built. No prototype needed.
2. **Patentability search** ($999). US and foreign patents and published applications.
3. **Report and review** (About 5 days). A written report, then a call on strategy.
4. **Provisional filed** ($2,500 to $3,500). Drafted, approved by you, filed. You are patent pending.
5. **Full application filed** (Month 12). The utility application, before the 12-month deadline.
6. **Examination** (USPTO). We answer the examiner and work the application toward allowance.
7. **USPTO decision**. Often 2 to 3 years after filing the full application.

## Questions about our patent attorney services.

### Which patent service do I need?

It depends on what is new. If it is how your invention works, a utility patent, often with a provisional filed first. If it is how it looks, a design patent. Many products need both. The patentability search and your strategy call settle it before you spend on filing, and the Intelligent IP Quiz gives you a starting point in about a minute.

### How much do your patent services cost?

Every service is a flat fee, quoted before any work begins. The patentability search is $999. Provisional applications run $2,500 to $3,500, design patents are $3,200, and utility applications run $7,000 to $12,000 with drawings and USPTO filing fees included. Complex inventions are quoted flat on your call.

### Do I need a prototype to file a patent?

No. You need a complete description of how the invention works. Our patent attorneys can document an invention from your designs, drawings or detailed descriptions.

### How long does the patent process take?

A utility patent usually takes two to three years from filing to a final decision. The USPTO's own average in 2026 has been about 29 months, and software and other high-tech applications can take longer. A provisional application can be filed quickly to secure patent pending status while you keep building.

### How long does a patent last?

A utility patent generally lasts 20 years from the date the full application is filed, as long as maintenance fees are paid at 3.5, 7.5 and 11.5 years after grant. A design patent lasts 15 years from grant, with no maintenance fees. A provisional application is not a patent and expires after 12 months.

### Can I patent an idea?

Not an idea alone. You can patent an invention, which means describing how to make and use it in enough detail for someone skilled in the field to follow. You do not need a prototype, and many inventions are filed from drawings and a clear written description.

### Can I file a patent application myself?

Yes, inventors can file for themselves. The risk is in the claims and the description, which are hard to fix later because nothing new can be added to an application after it is filed. More on [filing a patent on your own](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/filing-a-patent-on-your-own/).

### Will my patent application be made public?

Usually, yes. Most US applications are published about 18 months after the earliest filing date, and granted patents are public. A provisional is not published unless a later application that relies on it is. If you will never file abroad, you can ask the USPTO not to publish, which is a choice to make with your attorney.

### Which services does The RLG Guarantee cover?

Four services. Patentability searches, provisional patents, design patents and trademarks. If the search finds your invention is not novel, a full refund or another search. Patentability issues on a provisional, a full refund or more searches. If the USPTO denies a covered design patent or trademark application, a full refund. Utility (non-provisional) patents, office actions on them and litigation are not covered. The guarantee is a refund promise, not a promise of a granted patent, and refunds are subject to the RLG Guarantee Policy in your engagement letter.

### Do you work with inventors nationwide?

Yes. The firm works with founders, inventors and companies in all 50 states. Patent applications are filed with the USPTO, so the work does not depend on where you live.

## Your attorneys

- [Andrew Rapacke](https://arapackelaw.com/learn-more/the-team/andrew-rapacke/), Managing Partner, Registered Patent Attorney. Former Naval Engineering Officer. M.S. in electrical and electronics engineering.
- Chris Watt, Registered Patent Attorney, Former USPTO Examiner. Software, AI and machine learning, and MedTech. A full-stack software engineer.
- [Ken Brooks](https://arapackelaw.com/team/ken-brooks/), Registered Patent Attorney. Materials science and engineering. Patents in software, AI, and electrical and mechanical systems.

Meet the team at https://arapackelaw.com/learn-more/the-team/

## Learn before you file.

- [How Much Does a Patent Cost: An In-Depth Guide to Patent Pricing in 2026](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/how-much-does-a-patent-cost/)
- [Understanding the Differences: Provisional Patent vs Non-Provisional Applications](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/provisional-patent-vs-non-provisional/)
- [How Long Does a Patent Take From Filing to Grant](https://arapackelaw.com/patents/how-long-does-a-patent-take/)

[All patent articles](https://arapackelaw.com/category/patents/)

## Next steps

- [Book a free strategy call](https://arapackelaw.com/contact-us/) with a registered patent attorney, or call (954) 951-0154
- [Take the Intelligent IP Quiz](https://arapackelaw.com/intelligent-ip-quiz/) to see what to protect first
- [The RLG Guarantee](https://arapackelaw.com/rlg-guarantee/), the refund promise on four services

General information, not legal advice.