Simple English definitions for legal terms
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A small entity is a person or organization that qualifies for reduced patent fees under U.S. patent law. To be considered a small entity, you must be an individual investor, a small for-profit business with no more than 500 employees, a university, or a non-profit organization. Small entity status allows you to pay lower application, issuance, and maintenance fees.
Small entity is a term used in U.S. patent law to describe an applicant who qualifies for reduced fees when applying for a patent. To be considered a small entity, the applicant must meet one of the following criteria:
Small entity status allows the applicant to pay reduced application, issuance, and maintenance fees. This can be a significant cost savings for individuals and small businesses.
For example, if a small business with 200 employees applies for a patent and qualifies as a small entity, they would pay reduced fees compared to a large corporation with thousands of employees.
Another example would be a non-profit organization that qualifies as a small entity. They would be able to save money on patent fees, allowing them to allocate more resources towards their charitable mission.