What constitutes a "non-provisional" patent application?

A non-provisional patent application is indeed a formal application that is examined by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and has the potential to mature into a granted patent. This type of application must provide a detailed description of the invention, including at least one claim, which defines the scope of the patent protection sought.

This process includes an examination period where the USPTO reviews the application for compliance with legal requirements and assesses the novelty and non-obviousness of the invention. If the non-provisional application meets the necessary criteria, it can result in the issuance of a patent, granting the inventor exclusive rights to the invention for a specified period.

In contrast, other options do not accurately represent the characteristics of a non-provisional application. For instance, applications that merely include drawings do not qualify as complete patent submissions, as they must contain claims and a description of the invention. Similarly, a temporary application, often referred to as a provisional application, does not undergo examination and is primarily used for establishing an early filing date without the full formal requirements of a non-provisional application. Lastly, a simplified or informal application does not align with the rigorous standards necessary to qualify as non-provisional in terms of content and examination process.