The first step that you must do to patent an idea is to file a provisional patent application. Application forms and the actual filing of application can be done at the United States Patent and Trademark Office website (www.uspto.gov).
But before you upload your application and the documents supporting your patent application, you must first make sure that yours is an original idea and no patent has been issued for it. You can search at the patent office’s website for any patent application or existing patent that are related to your idea. This is very important because the result will tell you whether someone already owns the right to the same idea as yours. If that’s the case, the patent office will reject your claim and all your work will be for nothing.
If your search returns no pending or active patent, then you are free to file your patent application. Just fill out the form provided by the patent office. Attach all documents required by the application. This may include drawings, a complete description of your idea or invention, and other document that will prove that your idea is original.
The third and final step is to upload all your files to the patent office’s website. Then you’re done. The waiting will begin. The patent office will conduct their own investigation and decide whether to grant you a provisionary patent or not.