A patent application is a request pending at a patent office for the grant of a patent for an invention described in the patent specification and a set of one or more claims stated in a formal document, including necessary official forms and related correspondence.
A patent is a right granted to an Applicant by the government which excludes others from making, using, selling, or importing the patented product or process without prior approval. Patent filing or patent registration is the first step to protect invention from being misused.