Last checked against current USPTO and WIPO guidance: September 2026. Quick answer: To register a patent, you check if your invention qualifies, search for similar existing inventions, pick the right type of application, write up the invention in detail, file it with a patent office (the USPTO in the US), and answer any questions the examiner sends back. A US patent only protects you in the US. There is no single patent that covers the whole world. If you want protection in o