FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here we provide general information on questions that we are frequently asked. It goes without saying that we would be pleased to provide you with detailed information about the various topics of intellectual property law in a personal conversation or in writing.

Patents and utility models are used to protect technical inventions. Such inventions may include, but are not limited to, apparatus, e.g. machines or devices, methods, e.g. procedures or manufacturing processes, materials, substances, software or the use of substances for specific applications.

Trademarks are used to distinguish the labelling of your products and services from competing goods or services of others. With the registered trademark, you will be able to prevent third parties from using brands that could be confused with your trademark.

Designs and design patents protect the design of your product and give you the possibility to counter product imitations.

If you need protection for your technical invention for foreign countries, you have several options. A patent or utility model may be filed for individual national states. Often, it is more cost-effective and strategically advantageous to protect whole regions, e.g. by means of a European or a Eurasian patent application, or by an international patent application (PCT application) effective for most countries in the world.

Trademark applications can be filed for individual national states in order to obtain trademark protection for foreign countries. If trademark protection is required for countries in the European Union, it is often more cost-effective to register a European Union trade mark which is effective in all EU countries. For many countries outside the EU, as well as for the countries of the EU, brand protection can be obtained through an international brand, which is usually more cost-effective than national trademarks.

Designs can also be submitted for individual national states. Furthermore, it is possible to register a Community design for the countries of the European Union, which is effective in all countries in the EU. For some countries outside Europe, as well as for the EU countries, design protection can be obtained through The Hague Design Agreement, which is usually more cost-effective than the application of individual national designs.

In principle, it is sufficient if you describe your invention verbally. However, it may be helpful if you give us drawings to illustrate the invention. We do not necessarily require a written description, but it may facilitate the preparation of the application.

Based on your information, we will work out a draft of a patent or utility model application and discuss it with you before filing with the patent office.

We will take over the further steps for the implementation of the application as well as the subsequent administrative tasks at the respective patent office for you.

For a trademark application, you must notify us of the word to be registered for the brand, or we need a graphical representation in electronic or analogue form if you seek for protection for a logo or image.

You should also provide us with information about the goods and services for which the trademark is intended to provide protection and for which you wish to use the trademark.

We handle everything for you, from the individual steps for the registration of the trademark and the further administrative tasks at the respective trademark office.

In order to register a design or design patent, we need an electronic or analogue reproduction of the prototype to be protected, as well as general information on the nature and use of the product.

Patent attorneys advise and represent in the field of industrial property rights, which includes patents, utility models, designs, trademarks, employee rights and licensing agreements. The focus here is on representation in proceedings before the respective patent and trademark offices and the responsible courts, in particular the German Federal Patent Court.

Patent attorneys have completed a science or technical university degree and are additionally legally trained and therefore able to advise their clients on interdisciplinary matters.

For more information on the patent attorney profession, go to www.patentanwalt.de