patent protection: 11+5 most common myths and mistakes
DESCRIPTION
Thinking that patents are the only intellectual property Thinking that you don’t have any intellectual property Relying on one type of intellectual property protection The product has global market – I want to patent it everywhere! Failing to conduct prior art search Publishing your IP before securing your rights Doing It Yourself The IP protection is not linked to your business plan Relying on a single patent Failing to create original trademark Avoiding to regulate your IP rights in contracts Other myths & mistakesTRANSCRIPT
Mikk Putk, patent attorney Sarap & Putk Patent Agency
Patent protection: myths and mistakes
Thinking that patents are the only intellectual property
Patent = Intellectual Property
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Thinking that you don’t have any intellectual property
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Every company has at least:
• Domain name
• Trademark
• Know how,
• Copyrights,
• Trade secret
• etc
Relying on one type of intellectual property protection
One single product can be protected for example by: • Copyrights, • Patent, • Trademark, • Trade secret; • Know-how, • Design registration
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http://www.slideshare.net/mtarrant/valuing-intellectual-property
The product has global market – I want to patent it everywhere!
Stop! There is no world-wide patent nor you are going to commercialize your product in every single country!
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0 12 18 30 Months
1. PCT (international patent application); 2. Eurasian Patent application; 3. National patent application (e.g. US, JP, AU, CA, CN, etc)
If the first application was PCT application then 30 months form filing date is the deadline to file national applications
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Alternative patent systems:
6 36 48
Validating granted European patent
US JP AU CN, etc
DE UK ES IT, etc
Preliminary search report from EPO
Deadline to file PCT, EP or national patent applications
Filing US provisional, EP, PCT or national patent application as a priority application Publication
Request for examination (If the EP application is filed)
Examples of different patent systems
Failing to conduct prior art search
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Publishing your IP before securing your rights
• Disclosure of the invention (without a Non-Disclosure Agreement)
• Publishing a research paper
• Relying on grace-period
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http://www.humorburst.com/internet-vs-intellectual-property/
http://technology.ie/intellectual-property-explained-visually/
Doing It Yourself Be aware of: Non-official online filing systems; Different IP protection systems; Patent Jargon
• Toy ball = spherical object with floppy filaments to promote sure capture
• Swimming pool = Water-retaining recreational structure
• Balloon = Spherical device
• Pen = writing instrument
• Spring = energy-storing mean
• nail, screw = fastening means
• Battery = electrical power source for electronic circuits
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The IP protection is not linked to your business plan
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Fujitsu: “We are promoting an intellectual property strategy closely integrated with our business and R&D strategies. ”
http://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/tech/intellectualproperty/
Idea Development Production Selling
Relying on a single patent
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Competitor
P1
Competitor
Competitor
P2 P3 Pn P1 P2 P3 Pn
Failing to create original trademark
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Avoiding to regulate your IP rights in contracts
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Source: http://i-to-m.com/product-development/
Author
Colleagues
Management
Partners
Researchers
Engineers
Programmers
Marketing
Designers
Dealers, resellers
Licensees
Media, publishers
Manufacturers
Other myths & mistakes
• Requesting everyone to sign NDA
• Outsourcing: Freelancer, Elance, O-Desk, 99designs etc
• Overspending or underspending on IP protection
• No plan nor strategy what, where and how to protect
• Ignoring a Competitor's Patent
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Where to start?
• What intellectual property do you have? – Identify your IP!
• Who owns your intellectual property? – Check your contracts!
• Do you have the rights? – Conduct freedom to operate search!
– Conduct freedom to use search!
• Start protecting your IP step by step! – Register domain names & trademarks!
– Avoid infringement of other’s IP rights!
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Thank you!
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Contact Sarap & Putk Patent Agency, http://www.patent.ee, [email protected] Tartu: Margus Sarap, [email protected], tel 747 7058 Tallinn: Mikk Putk, [email protected], 53 039 088, Skype: mikkputk
https://www.facebook.com/Patent.ee
Presentations: http://www.slideshare.net/patent/presentations/
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Is the class half empty or half full?
Answer: Liquid H20 bisects an open cylindrical vessel