Protecting Your Innovations and IP Dr. Matthias Nobbe German and European Patent Attorney European Trademark and Design Attorney
Protecting your innovations Introduction What can be protected? Where can I get information on protective rights? What can I do with the information? Information management Strategic considerations planning IP rights IP rights abroad Exploiting IP rights 2
Protecting your innovations Protecting your creativity and innovations, i.e. innovations on the commercial field non-commercial field Timely limited exclusive rights Subject matter of the IP right is the effort in Results (inventions and designs)å Symbols (distinguishing marks)å Artistic evolvement of the individual 3 Dr. Matthias Nobbe
Protecting your innovations Protection for innovations on the field of technics Patent (+ SPC)Å Utility model Esthetic creations Design - Copyrights Distinguishing marks Trade marks ( Logos Ç colors Ç shapes Ç sounds)å Biology Plant variety protection 4 Dr. Matthias Nobbe
Protecting your innovations Institutions in Germany German Patent and Trademark Office Bar (attorneyship)å Patent attorneys Ç attorneyés at law Jurisdiction (courts)å 5 Dr. Matthias Nobbe
Protecting your innovations German Patent and Trademark Office Competent for granting and upholding patents Superior Federal Authority President 5 Departments Arbitrative Boards Main location Munich Sublocation Jena Patent information centers 6
Protecting your innovations Patent attorney bar Legal consultation on the IP field Specialized education Prerequisites for admission to the trainee program Masters degree in natural or engineering science One year practical work Apprenticeship place Patent attorneys are members of the patent attorney bar approx. 2000 patent attorneys in Germany Representative before the OHIM European Trademark Attorney European bar examination European Patent Attorney 7
Protecting your innovations Jurisdiction German Patent court District Courts LG/OLG BGH Infringements of IP rights Upholding IP rights Considering legal questions (Revision)Å 8 Dr. Matthias Nobbe
Protecting your innovations IP rights = commercial success? Freedom to producing non-protected items in Germany Slavish imitation allowed Protecting your investments for research and development Exclusive right for exploitation Right to prohibit use of protected items Licenses Trademark value and reputation Advertising effect 9
1 (1) Patent Act Patents will be granted for Inventions which are novel, based on an inventive activity and susceptible for industrial application 10
Fundamental Terms Invention no discovery Teaching for technical action Technisch ist eine Lehre zum planmäßigen Handeln unter Einsatz beherrschbarer Naturkräfte zur Erreichung eines kausal übersehbaren Erfolgs, der ohne die Zwischenschaltung menschlicher Verstandestätigkeit die unmittelbare Folge des Einsatzes der o.a. Naturkräfte ist. 11
Exclusions from Patentability - 1 (2) Patent Act Discoveries Plans, rules and processes for mental activities, for games or commercial activities or programs for computers; reproduction of information Esthetic creations 12
Exclusions from Patentability - 2 Patent Act Inventions against the public order and the ordre public e.g.: tools for burglars Plant varieties or animal varieties 13
Prerequisites for Protection: Technical invention Novelty Inventive Step Industrial applicability 14
Novelty - 3 (1) 1 The invention has to be novel in view of the state of art State of art comprises Written or oral description Disclosure in any other way anywhere on the world 15
Examination for Novelty Relevant date Application date optionally an earlier date, e.g. priority date of an application abroad exhibition Exception: evident abuse 16
Inventive Step - 4 Patent Act The invention is considered to be based on an inventive step if, having regard to the state of art, it is not obvious to the skilled man. I.e.: the skilled man has to know the state of art which has to be public 17
Industrial Applicability - 5 Patent Act Application on any industrial/commercial field Industry, agriculture, etc. Exceptions - 5 II Patent Act: Methods for treatment of the human or animal body: surgically therapeutically diagnostically 18
Granting Proceedings Filing the application with the patent office Application documents Ñ 35 Patent Act Description of the invention Patent claims for a Device Method Drawings (if applicable)å Abstract 19 Dr. Matthias Nobbe
Patent claims: Device claim Subject of the claim can be Device or part thereof Machine Tool Component Chemical substance Chemical composition Microorganism Microbiological product Genetically modified products 20
Patent claims: Method claim Working method Starting Material = Product e.g.: cleaning, measuring, delivering Manufacturing method Starting Material Product e.g.: milling, sintering, chemical conversion Use of a new substance known substance Working- or manufacturing method 21
Specification Ç an Exemplary Structure Introduction State of the art Disadvantages of the state of the art Problem of the present invention Solution for said problem Advantages of the invention Examples for the invention (if applicable)å Example for manufacturing Example for use Description of the Figures (if applicable)å 22 Dr. Matthias Nobbe
Granting Proceedings Filing the application with the Patent Office Request for granting Application documents Naming the inventor 37 Patent Act Or group of inventors? Filing fee - 60.- If intended, further requests Patent filing regulations Information for Patent Applicants 23
Granting Proceedings Process of the granting proceedings Entry at the Patent Office Date-stamp Assigning an application number 10 2004 034567.8 Classification of the application - IPC 24
Granting Proceedings Process of the granting proceedings Examination for obvious mistakes 42 Patent Act Publication of the application Publishing the application documents for public inspection 18 month after the Filing date Priority date in the form of the published application 32 Patent Act Registration in the patent register - Patentrolle 25
Granting Proceedings ÖSubstantiveÜ proceedings at the DPMA Request for search Ñ 43 Patent Act - á 250.- searching only for relevant documents Request for examination of the application Ñ 44 Patent Act Requirements Request max. 7 years after filing of the application Examination fee á 150.-/ 350.- Examination for Novelty (absolute novelty)å Inventive step Industrial application 26 Dr. Matthias Nobbe
Granting Proceedings Examination proceedings Official communication 45 Patent Act Reply to official communication 38 Patent Act Restriction of patent claims if necessary Oral Hearing 46 Patent Act Conclusion of the Examination proceedings 27
Granting Proceedings Termination of the Examination proceedings by Granting 49 Patent Act Publication of the grant Publication of the patent documents Rejection 48 Patent Act If intended, appeal at the Patent Court BPatG 28
The granted patent Period of protection max. 20 years from filing date - 16 Patent Act Annual fees 17 Patent Act Assignment of the patent - 15 Patent Act Licensing Opposition proceedings - 59 etc Patent Act Purpose of the opposition proceedings Time limit for opposition 3 month after granting Nullity proceedings - 81 etc Patent Act Purpose of the action for revocation 29
The granted patent Effect of the patent 139 Patent Act Exclusive right for the patentee to use the invention Right of the patentee to prohibit Scope of protection 14 Patent Act Infringement litigation 143 Patent Act District courts have competence for suit Assertion of claims for Omission Disclosure Compensation Shifting burden of proof to the infringer for method claims 30
Utility models 1 (1) Utility Model Act As utility model, inventions are protected, which are new, based on an inventive step and are industrial applicable. 31
Utility models Exceptions for Registrability as for patents, but methods and biological inventions cannot be claimed Requirements for protection Novelty State of the art differs from that of patents. Novelty destroying are Written Specification National-use!!!, but Grace Period of 6 month Inventive step (not activity)!! Industrial application 32
Utility models Filing with the Patent Office Application documents Description of the invention One or more claims Drawings (if applicable)å Fee á 40.- Formalities examination Registration without substantive examination Protection term max. 10 years (3+3+2+2 years)å 33 Dr. Matthias Nobbe
Utility models Cancellation Proceedings Reasons for cancellation Requirements for protection are not fulfilled Older industrial property rights inadmissible extension of the scope of the invention Effect of Protection as for patents 34
Information management Acquisition of information by using patent literature Evaluating of search results Use of search results for developing your own strategy for industrial property rights 35
Information management Options for a search Doing your own search Search by Research Service Searcher Patent Office Search for subject-matter of invention 36
Information management Options for Searching Manual search Database search Possibilities for search Patent Office Public depositories Database provider VDI Internet, e.g. Depatis 37
Information management International patent classification IPC Section A: Human necessities, Health Section B: Performing operations; Transportation Section C: Chemistry and Metallurgy Section D: Textiles; Papers Section E: Fixed Constructions; Mining Section F: Mechanical Engineering, Lighting; et al. Section G: Physics Section H: Electricity 38
Information management Evaluation of Search Results Watching technical trends Watching intellectual property activities of competitors Estimating your own position How are my own activities influenced by intellectual property rights of third parties? Infringement - Circumvention Own intellectual property rights? 39
Literature Information from the DPMA Download from www.dpma.de Information from the European Patent Office Download from www.european-patent-office.org Dieter Rebel, Industrial property rights, Carl Heymanns Verlag 2001 Handbook of Industrial Property Rights, loose-leaf-collection, Carl Heymanns Verlag 40