Patents: Protection of technical inventions
Patents are protective rights with which companies, institutions and private persons can protect technical inventions. With a patent, unauthorized third parties are prohibited from using the protected invention for their own purposes without your consent.
Patents offer full protection of intellectual property and protect you from other companies using your invention. With a patent it is much easier to convince cooperation partners and investors. Due to the long period of protection of a maximum of 20 years, patents can be used to secure long-term corporate strategies. In our law firm, we provide comprehensive advice on all questions concerning the application, prosecution and defence of patents. Find out more about the thematical focus areas in which we offer you not only legal but also profound technical support.
Benefit from the advantages of a patent registration:
Your advantage
Through our worldwide network we can obtain patent protection for our clients in almost every country of the world. The patent attorneys of Dr. Keller, Schwertfeger have all licenses to represent clients in all proceedings at the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA), the German Federal Patent Court (BPatG), the European Patent Office (EPO), the European Office for Intellectual Property (EUIPO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and in nullity proceedings at the German Federal Supreme Court (BGH).
Utility model: patent’s little brother
The utility model is considered the ‘little brother’ of the patent. Like a patent, a utility model can protect technical inventions (products, compositions, devices) that are new, inventive and industrially applicable. The utility model is an unexamined right. It is entered in the register without substantive examination of its protectability by the German Patent and Trade Mark Office. The term of a utility model in Germany is a maximum of ten years.
European patent and Unitary patent
A European patent offers the possibility of being recognised as a patent in the member states of the European Patent Convention (EPC). After the European patent has been granted by the European Patent Office (EPO), validation takes place in the selected countries of the EPC.
The European patent with unitary effect is another term for the unitary patent (EU patent), which is to be valid uniformly in all EU member states that have decided to cooperate in patent law. At the end of the granting procedure at the European Patent Office, the applicant can decide whether to obtain the traditional European patent (with the associated national validations) or the unitary patent. The EU patent covers all member states of the European Union or the states participating. In contrast to a European patent application, the member states in the unitary patent application need not to be named individually. Nullity actions and actions against infringement of the Union patent are centralised in the Unified Patent Court. In addition, the requirements regarding translations were changed. The Unitary patent is not yet in force. So, for the time being, the only option is to apply for a European patent.
In our FAQ section, you can find out about other frequently asked questions regarding patents. Would you like comprehensive advice on patents and intellectual property? Please contact our office online.
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