An independent patent application refers to an individual or a single enterprise applying for a patent. This means that the patent right will completely belong to the applicants themselves, and they have the right to decide the use, transfer and license of the patent. Independent patent application is simple, flexible and highly confidential. Applicants can choose the appropriate place and time for application according to their own needs, and freely decide the degree of confidentiality and disclosure of patents. Independent patent application is suitable for individuals or enterprises with complete control.
Joint patent application refers to the cooperation of multiple individuals or enterprises to apply for a patent. In a joint application, the patent right will belong to multiple applicants. A joint application can be decided by an agreement between several participants, who can jointly decide the use, transfer and license of the patent. Joint application has the characteristics of facilitating cooperation and sharing resources. The allocation of responsibilities and benefits between applicants can be clearly defined through contracts or agreements. The joint application is applicable to the situation that multiple partners need to jointly invest, research and develop or promote.
To sum up, an independent patent application is suitable for individuals or enterprises wishing to completely control the patent right, while a joint patent application is suitable for cases where multiple partners are developing or promoting the patent. When choosing the application method, we need to weigh and make decisions according to the specific situation and needs.