# Provisional Patent Application — Filing Checklist

**Inventor:** Gerard Kavanagh **Filing Date Target:** Monday, March 23, 2026 **Filing Fee:** $320 (micro entity) **Filing Method:** USPTO EFS-Web (<https://patentcenter.uspto.gov>)

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## Before You Start

* [ ] Create a USPTO.gov account (if you don't have one): <https://patentcenter.uspto.gov>
* [ ] Have a credit/debit card ready for the $320 filing fee

## Documents to Upload (all in this folder)

| # | Document             | File                         | USPTO Category                  |
| - | -------------------- | ---------------------------- | ------------------------------- |
| 1 | Cover Sheet          | `01-COVER-SHEET.md`          | Provisional Cover Sheet (SB/16) |
| 2 | Specification        | `02-SPECIFICATION.md`        | Specification                   |
| 3 | Claims               | `03-CLAIMS.md`               | Claims                          |
| 4 | Abstract             | `04-ABSTRACT.md`             | Abstract                        |
| 5 | Drawings             | `05-DRAWINGS.md`             | Drawings                        |
| 6 | Inventor Declaration | `06-INVENTOR-DECLARATION.md` | Application Data Sheet          |

### Supporting Evidence (optional but strengthens filing)

| #  | Document                | File                                                                        | Purpose               |
| -- | ----------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------- |
| 7  | Technical Disclosure    | `../PRD-108-TECHNICAL-DISCLOSURE.md` (repo root docs/)                      | Full technical detail |
| 8  | Algorithm Specification | `../PRD-108-ALGORITHMS.md` (repo root docs/)                                | All 15 algorithms     |
| 9  | Production Evidence     | `runs/2026-03-21/09-PRODUCTION-EVIDENCE.md`                                 | First production run  |
| 10 | Test Results            | `runs/2026-03-21/01-proof-suite.txt` through `07-multi-scenario-pytest.txt` | 119 assertions        |

## Filing Steps

### Step 1: Go to USPTO Patent Center

<https://patentcenter.uspto.gov>

### Step 2: Start New Submission

* Click "New Submission" > "Provisional Application"
* Select "Utility" as application type

### Step 3: Entity Status

* Select **Micro Entity** ($320 fee)
* You qualify if:
  * You haven't been named as inventor on more than 4 previously filed US patent applications
  * Your gross income last year was less than 3x the US median household income (\~$232,000 for 2025)
  * You haven't assigned/licensed/conveyed rights to an entity that exceeds the income limit

### Step 4: Upload Documents

Upload the files from this folder as PDFs:

1. Convert each .md file to PDF (use any markdown-to-PDF tool, or print from browser)
2. Upload `02-SPECIFICATION.md` as the "Specification"
3. Upload `03-CLAIMS.md` as the "Claims"
4. Upload `04-ABSTRACT.md` as the "Abstract"
5. Upload `05-DRAWINGS.md` as the "Drawings"
6. Fill in the cover sheet info from `01-COVER-SHEET.md`

### Step 5: Pay the Fee

* $320 for micro entity provisional application

### Step 6: Submit and Save

* Download and save the filing receipt
* Note the **Application Number** — this is your priority date reference
* Save the confirmation email

## After Filing

* [ ] Save filing receipt PDF
* [ ] Record application number
* [ ] Calendar reminder: 12 months from filing date to convert to non-provisional
* [ ] Consult a patent attorney within 3 months to review claims and advise on non-provisional strategy
* [ ] Continue building production evidence (more missions, more scenarios)

## Important Notes

* A provisional patent application is NOT examined — it just establishes your priority date
* You have exactly 12 months to file a non-provisional application claiming benefit of this provisional
* If you don't file a non-provisional within 12 months, the provisional expires (but your technical disclosure still serves as prior art)
* The provisional does NOT need to be perfect — it needs to adequately describe the invention
* All the documents in this folder are designed to meet that bar

## Cost Summary

| Item                                  | Cost          | When             |
| ------------------------------------- | ------------- | ---------------- |
| Provisional filing (micro entity)     | $320          | Monday           |
| Patent attorney consultation          | $500-1,500    | Within 3 months  |
| Non-provisional filing (micro entity) | $800          | Within 12 months |
| Patent attorney for non-provisional   | $8,000-15,000 | Within 12 months |

The $320 provisional locks your priority date. Everything else can wait.

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*Prepared March 21, 2026*