Patenting an invention

A patent is an exclusive right that allows you to prohibit others from taking professional advantage of your invention, for example by manufacturing, selling, importing or using it. This right of prohibition applies in countries where the patent is valid. A patent is a tangible asset and gives your product promotional value, which often has a positive effect on sales. Remember that by patenting you can ensure that no one else has the exclusive rights to the same invention.

Since the subject matter of a patent must be new, the invention cannot be made public in any way until the patent application has been submitted to the patent authority or another strategic decision has been taken regarding the invention. In addition, the invention to be patented must differ substantially from previously known solutions and be industrially useful. A patent may be obtained for a product, apparatus, process or use thereof.

A patent protects only the invention exactly as it is described in the application. Moreover, no new content can be added to a patent application after filing. Therefore, a carefully drafted patent application is essential for effectively securing protection for your invention. Our experts draft patent applications from a business perspective while also taking into account the impact of recent case law on the application process.
You can find more information on patents and the patenting process in the Patent article in the IPR Basics section of our website.