If I want patent protection, should I file a provisional patent application and a non-provisional application?
It depends on your budget, really. The provisional patent application lasts a year, and nothing is being examined. It gives you a chance to file your non provisional. If you have the money and the inclination, and you want to get the game actually started, you file your non provisional as soon as possible. But, it’s a much more expensive and technical dive, if you will, with a non provisional. The provisional is simpler to file perhaps, and less expensive, typically, and it gets you in the game. But again, it’s up to the economics of it. If you’re ready to go, and know it’s worth the non provisional that you’re going to file, you might as well start there.