Your innovation, invention, idea or design for a product or process may be protected as a patent and/or design registration.

Book an appointment with one of our registered patent attorneys before you disclose your idea.

Prior disclosure may invalidate your patent application or design applications.

The steps to protect your innovation, invention, idea or design include:

1. conducting a patent search or design search to identify whether you can obtain a granted patent or design registration,
2. searching for infringements to identify whether there is any litigation risk (freedom to operate),
3. applying for a granted patent or registered design,
4. monitoring for breach of your patent registration or design registration,
5. alerting infringers of your patent or design rights, and
6. enforcement of your rights.

Types of patent searches and design searches:

1. Novelty searches assess whether your idea qualifies for patent or design protection.
2. Infringement searches assess whether your idea will infringe a registered design, a granted patent, or a certified patent.
3. Competitor watch searches identify potential infringements.

Patent and design applications (acquiring rights)

• It is critical to ensure that no disclosure is made before patent and design applications have been filed. This is one of the biggest mistakes which may invalidate your patent or design rights.
• If objections are raised to grant of a patent or design, we assist by determining what solution(s) are available.
• For example, we may recommend preparing and filing respones which adjust the scope of rights (by amending the patent specification), and/or submitting arguments which clearly differentiate your idea from any citations.

Patent and design portfolio management, and monitoring for copying:

• Many companies acquire granted patents or registered designs, but forget to initiate monitoring systems to identify infringements.
• The onus is on the owner of the rights to use their rights to stop copying.
• To assist you, we:

1. monitor for applications filed by competitors which may encroach upon your company’s rights.
2. monitor the status of your patent and design portfolio, ensuring that it does not lapse and is useable.
3. prepare status and portfolio reports for management of your intellectual property assets.

We look forward to assisting you today.