Patent applications and Utility Model applications

We advise you how you can obtain the most comprehensive patent or utility model protection possible, quickly and cost-effectively. For your inventions we offer a complete service before the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA), the European Patent Office (EPO) and the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO). This is the drafting of German, European and international patent applications as well as utility model applications and the further defense in the grant procedures. To support the grant proceedings abroad, we rely on our worldwide network of selected law firms as well as our attorneys and technical experts with qualifications in various disciplines, such as physics, chemistry, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and pharmaceuticals.

Patent strategy

For our clients we develop an individual strategy to secure investments in technical developments. In doing so, we take into account your general conditions, especially your technical environment, your market position and your goals. Based on this, we optimize your patent portfolio with regard to the duration until patent grant, the fees incurred or the question of relevant countries.

Exploitation possibilities for your Patents and Utility Models

In disputes with competitors we advise you on the best possible exploitation of your patents and utility models. In addition, we monitor your patents and utility models for possible patent infringement by third parties. This ensures that you can make the best possible use of a market monopoly through a patent or utility model or generate additional license income.

Research for third-party rights (Freedom to Operate – analyses)

In addition, we conduct searches for patents of third parties and advise you on the development of ways of circumventing patents, so-called freedom to operate analyses. In this way, costly warnings can be avoided, at best even before you invest in the marketing of a product, and often avoided by using simple alternatives.

In case of emergency…

We represent you in opposition and nullity proceedings against third party patents as well as in utility model cancellation proceedings and defend you against attacks from infringement proceedings.

Patent application costs and subsidies for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

The cost of a patent application varies depending on the complexity of the invention and the countries in which the invention is to be protected. In the best case, the costs for a German patent application are 350 € if you do the drafting and filing yourself. For complex inventions that are to be protected worldwide, however, costs of more than 50,000 € are often incurred. If you have any questions about patent costs, please contact us!

We also advise you on subsidies for small and medium-sized enterprises and file the relevant applications with the Ministry of Economics on your behalf.
After three years from the filing date, additional annuity fees are due.

In-house seminars for engineers or Patent Agents

Upon request we also offer in-house training courses on Patent Law. Here we train your engineers, for example, on filing strategy, patent strategy or effective monitoring of your competitors in the field.

Strategies for your patent portfolio

International, fast and cost-effective

You would like to obtain worldwide patent protection as quickly and cost-effectively as possible? In this case, we recommend that you file an international patent application directly and first accelerate the examination procedure in Europe. In the best case, your patent in Europe is already granted when the examination of the patent is started in other countries. In this instance, the grant procedures abroad benefit from the signal effect of a European patent grant. In this manner, grant procedures abroad can be accelerated and costs for replying to foreign examination requests can be reduced.

Patent applications at the development stage

It is expected that their an invention will soon be implemented in a product, but this is not the case. You need additional time, during which the invention may still be modified or details of the product may still be clarified. Nevertheless, you want to secure the core of your invention and prevent your competitors from beating you to it.

In this case, it is advisable to first file a German patent application, which is very cost-effective compared to a European patent application or an international patent application. After filing the patent application, you have one year to claim the priority of this first application abroad and even 18 months to further develop and file the invention without the first application preventing the inventive step of your new application.

Utility Model protection for already published inventions

Inventions must remain secret until their filing date as a patent application. However, this is not always possible. For an invention that has already been published, you can still obtain a utility model if the publication does not date back more than six months.

Cheapest way

Are you looking for the most cost-effective patent protection? The most cost-effective option is a German patent application, which is considerably less expensive than an International Patent Application or European Patent Application. Furthermore, you can postpone the examination procedure in Germany by up to seven years. This means that you can reserve the examination of your patent application even in case of imitation.