* Define one functional invention

* File a first provisional patent application.
In another embodiment, a nonprovisional utility application may be filed now.
There are various advantages and disadvantages in each approach, from business
and legal/patenting considerations.

* Register a copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office. The copyright
registration achieves various benefits for its owner.

* Search the prior art - After a copyright was registered for applicant's
original work which was not affected by other's work.

* Compare own invention with the prior art. Maybe the inventor did not use
the standard, accepted terms for that discipline, maybe part of the invention
is not new, maybe some parts of the application need to be made more explicit
or some problems be addressed.

* Improve the patent application accordingly.

* Additional search required? if Yes then Repeat the above.
An additional search may be required if the last search did not use the right
terminology or search strategy, as become apparent upon analyzing the last
search results for example.

* File a second provisional patent application.
In another embodiment, a nonprovisional utility application may be filed now.
There are various advantages and disadvantages in each approach, from business
and legal/patenting considerations as known to persons skilled in the art.
Timing is important, the second application should be filed within as short a
time t1 as possible. Since there may be significant improvements in the second
application with respect to the first application, the priority
date provided by the first filing may be insufficient; thus it is important to
have as early filing date as possible for the second filing.

* Search prior art, improve application - preferably a short time t2 before
drafting and filing the non-provisional. Things may have been changed
during the time from the previous filing, changes that should be addressed.

* File non-provisional utility patent application, claiming priority from
the provisional(s) filed within the last year.
The non-provisional should be filed within a time t3 less than one year from
the first filing and any intervening filings.
At this stage, it is required to also File patent applications abroad and/or
Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).