Dharmik Patel
Co-founder, PatentAssist.ai
Dharmik Patel is a co-founder of PatentAssist.ai and leads its business. He writes about patent strategy, how patents shape the businesses that file them, and filing routes in the US, Europe and India.
Guides by Dharmik
- How to file a patent in India, step by step
Every step from prior art search to grant, with the forms and deadlines at each one.
- Indian patent timeline, from filing to expiry
Each stage of an Indian patent with its statutory deadline, from filing to the end of the 20-year term.
- The Unitary Patent and the UPC, explained
The 18 countries covered, renewal fees, the UPC opt-out, and when classic validation is the better choice.
- European patent opposition at the EPO
The 9-month deadline and fee, the grounds, procedure and oral proceedings, appeal to the Boards, and how it compares with UPC revocation.
- Entering the European phase from a PCT application
The 31-month deadline, Rule 159 acts and fees, the supplementary search, Rule 161, translations and a worked example.
- Restriction requirements and election of species
How to answer a USPTO restriction or election of species requirement, from traverse and rejoinder to divisionals and unity in 371 cases.
- Information disclosure statements (IDS)
The duty of disclosure, IDS timing windows and fees, the 2025 size fee, EPO search reports, Therasense and QPIDS.
- USPTO maintenance fees (2026)
Maintenance fees at 3.5, 7.5 and 11.5 years for large, small and micro entities, the grace period, reinstatement and a due-date calculator.
- PCT national phase deadlines by country
30, 31 or more months: the national phase time limit at every office in WIPO's table, late-entry options and a deadline calculator.
- PCT search report, written opinion and Chapter II
How to read the international search report and written opinion, Article 19 amendments, informal comments, and when a Chapter II demand is worth filing.
- Pre-grant and post-grant opposition in India
Who can oppose, the grounds in Section 25, the deadlines and fees, Form 7A and Form 7, and how the Opposition Board and hearing work.
- How much does a European patent cost?
EPO fees to grant, translations, validation and renewals, with the EPO's Unitary Patent cost comparison and two worked examples.
- The UK Patent Box, explained
The 10% rate, which UK, EP and EEA patents qualify, the R&D (nexus) fraction, the election deadline and a worked example.
- Freedom-to-operate search in the US and Europe
In-force claims only, legal status checks at the USPTO, EPO and UPC, FTO opinions after Halo, and design-arounds.
- Google Patents search guide
Search operators and fields, Boolean and proximity syntax, non-patent literature, and where Google Patents falls short of the official databases.
- How to respond to a 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection
Graham and the KSR rationales in MPEP 2143, teaching away, motivation to combine, secondary considerations with nexus, and Rule 132 evidence.
- Entering the US national stage under 35 U.S.C. 371
The 30-month deadline and revival, the 371 requirements, national stage fees by entity size, and 371 versus a bypass continuation.
- Filing a US patent from Europe or India
The 2026 US practitioner rule for foreign applicants, Paris priority and certified copies, small entity status, PCT or direct, fees and translations.
- Design patents in the United States
What a design patent protects, drawings and the single claim, the 15-year term, Hague filings, LKQ v. GM, and design vs utility patents.
- Provisional vs nonprovisional patent application
The two US filings side by side, the cost of each route, the effect on term and publication, and a guide to which to file.
- Small entity vs micro entity status
Who qualifies under 37 CFR 1.27 and 1.29, the 2026 income limit, SB/15A and SB/15B, license traps, fixing errors, and an eligibility checker.
- How to file a European patent application
Direct or Euro-PCT filing, search, examination, grant and validation, with the EPO fees in force from 1 April 2026.
- Types of patent applications in India
Ordinary, provisional, convention, PCT national phase, divisional and patent of addition, plus product vs process patents.