To register for PatentConnect services:
1. Consult the table below to determine your eligibility for The Matching Program and The Marketplace.
2. Complete the USPTO basic training for independent inventors and small businesses.
3. Fill out the online Inventor Registration Form and wait to hear back from the program administrators.
| Category | Requirement | The Matching Program | The Marketplace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Training | Complete the USPTO's basic training for independent inventors and small businesses | Required | Required |
| Patenting | Not named as inventor on more than four patents (as a solo or joint inventor) | Required | Not required |
| Income | Below the USPTO's income threshold for micro-entities | Required | Not required |
| Location | Inventor must reside in the State of Indiana or Commonwealth of Kentucky | Required | Not required |
| Invention eligibility and timing | Both invention-based requirements relate to the timing of your application with PatentConnect. You cannot: (1) have an office action response due within two months, or (2) be within two months of needing to file a non-provisional application. | Required | Not required |
Please be aware that while PatentConnect may be able to help connect you to a patent lawyer who may recommend that you file a patent application, you should not assume that obtaining patent protection is a guarantee of commercial success. In fact, while patents can be important to many types of businesses, most patented inventions do not succeed. It is important to have realistic expectations about what patent protection can, and cannot, do for your business.
