provisional patnent

[true2one2004]

What is the name of your state? florida
Ya i was wondering what would happen if i filed for a provisional patent and in a year i decided not to go ahead with the idea do i still have to buy a pantent for an idea i dont want?

 

[divgradcurl]

What is the name of your state? florida
Ya i was wondering what would happen if i filed for a provisional patent and in a year i decided not to go ahead with the idea do i still have to buy a pantent for an idea i dont want?

If you don't convert your provisional to a nonprovisional within one year, or begin some other type of continuation application, then the provisional becomes "abandoned" and may no longer be relied on to prove a priority date. You can abandon a provisional (or nonprovisional, for that matter) at any time -- there is no "lock in" or anything where you will be required to continue the prosecution of the patent application.