Document Guide

Patent

A granted invention, and proof that it is used

Last updated Oct 6, 2026

Educational only — not legal advice.

What it shows

A patent proves that you are a named inventor of something new. A grant alone shows originality; it becomes strong evidence when the invention is licensed, sold or built into products.

Strong vs. weak

Strong

A granted patent naming you as inventor
Licences, sales or product documentation showing the invention in use
Letters from independent users on what it made possible

Weak

A pending application with nothing else
A patent held by your employer with no evidence of your part in it
No sign that anyone uses the invention

How to prepare it

Provide the grant from the patent office record, with the inventor list
Add evidence of commercial use or of later patents that cite it
Explain your own contribution if there are several inventors

Common mistake

Treating the grant as proof of significance. Officers look for adoption, not only novelty.

Where this evidence is used

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