FAQ

How do I register?

How do I register a Patent?

Registering patent rights involves a series of steps:

STEP 1
Visit your patent attorneys and discuss your invention with them. They will advise on the information they will need and the chances of obtaining a patent registration in your countries of choice. They will also give you an indication of the costs you are likely to incur.

STEP 2
If you and your patent attorney have agreed that a search should be conducted prior to filing, your attorney will conduct the search and report the results to you with advice as to whether or not you are likely to obtain a patent registration in light of the documents uncovered in the search.

STEP 3
Once all the required information has been provided, your patent attorney will draft a patent "specification" for you, which will include a detailed description of your invention, drawings if appropriate and a legal definition of the invention. For more information about the format of a patent specification, click here.

Quite often your attorney will ask questions and request more information during the drafting process to be sure that the patent specification adequately protects your invention.

STEP 4
Once the specification has been completed and approved by you, it will be filed in a Patent Office, along with application forms that may require your signature, depending on the country you are filing in.

STEP 5
The Patent Office will usually conduct their own search of the international patent databases and will report the result to your attorney who will advise you as to whether or not your specification might require amendment and your chances of obtaining a valid patent.

STEP 6
The Patent Office will conduct an examination of your patent application to determine whether or not it meets the requirements set down by patent laws in the country in which the application has been filed. If the Patent Office has any problems with your application, it will liase with your patent attorney who will discuss the problems and their solutions with you.

STEP 7
Providing all problems with the application have been overcome, a patent registration certificate will issue and you will have a granted patent.

Take a look at our detailed information about patents if you would like to learn more about the patent registration system.

How do I register a Trade Mark?

Registering trade mark rights involves a series of steps:

STEP 1
Visit your trade mark attorneys and discuss your mark with them. They will advise on the information they need and the chances of obtaining a trade mark registration in your countries of choice. They will also give you an indication of the costs you are likely to incur.

STEP 2
If you and your patent attorney have agreed that a trade mark search should be conducted prior to filing, your attorney will conduct the search and report the results to you with advice as to whether you are likely to obtain a trade mark registration in light of the existing marks uncovered in the search.

STEP 3
Once all the required information has been provided, your trade mark attorney will prepare a trade mark application for you, which will include a detailed list of the goods/services you wish to cover, their classes and your mark(s) in the agreed format(s). For more information about the types of marks that can be registered and the goods/services classification system, click here.

STEP 4
Once the application has been prepared, it will be filed in a Patent & Trade Mark Office, along with application forms that may require your signature, depending on the country you are filing in.

STEP 5
The Patent & Trade Mark Office will usually conduct their own search and examination of your application to determine whether or not it meets the requirements set down by the trade mark laws in the country in which the application has been filed. If the Patent & Trade Mark Office has any problems with your application, it will liase with your patent attorney who will discuss the problems and their solutions with you.

STEP 6
Providing all problems with the application have been overcome, the trade mark will be advertised so that anyone who might wish to may oppose the registration of the mark.

STEP 7
Providing no opposition to the registration of the mark is filed, a trade mark registration certificate will issue and you will have a registered trade mark.

Take a look at our detailed information about trade marks if you would like to learn more about the trade mark registration system.

How do I register a Design?

Registering design rights involves a series of steps:

STEP 1
Visit your patent attorneys and discuss your design with them. They will advise on the information they need and the chances of obtaining a design registration in your countries of choice. They will also give you an indication of the costs you are likely to incur.

STEP 2
If you and your patent attorney have agreed that a search should be conducted prior to filing, your attorney will conduct the search and report the results to you with advice as to whether or not you are likely to obtain a design registration in light of the documents uncovered in the search.

STEP 3
Once all the required information has been provided, your patent attorney will prepare a design application for you, which will include drawings presented in the required manner and a usually a statement concerning the aspects of the design which are claimed to be novel. For more information about the types of designs that can be registered and statements of novelty, click here.

STEP 4
Once the application has been prepared, it will be filed in a Patent Office, along with application forms that may require your signature, depending on the country you are filing in.

STEP 5
The Patent Office will usually conduct their own search and examination of your application to determine whether or not it meets the requirements set down by design laws in the country in which the application has been filed. If the Patent Office has any problems with your application, it will liase with your patent attorney who will discuss the problems and their solutions with you.

STEP 6
Providing all problems with the application have been overcome, a design registration certificate will issue and you will have a registered design or, as they are called in some countries, a design patent.

Take a look at our detailed information about designs if you would like to learn more about the design registration system.