Inventions

The patent for an invention provides protection for a technical solution in any field of activity.

The patentability requirements are industrial applicability, global novelty, and inventiveness.

The patent term is up to 20 years, for certain inventions (pharmaceuticals, medicine), up to 25 years.

Purpose

A patent for invention protects devices, complexes, systems, substances, microorganism strains, methods, as well as their new intended use, etc. A single patent may protect a group of inventions, eg, a substance, a method for its production, and a device for implementing this method.

The Invention is the most universal protection instrument for technical solutions. The scope of coverage by the invention is very wide: it covers not only identical solutions, but also similar ones, distinguished by equivalent features.

On the manner an invention is presented in the application for it depends not only the patent acquisition, but its stability in case of contestation and, most importantly, its effectiveness, i.e. the ability to restrain competitors and stop violations. Of great significance is working out the patent claims which determine the scope of rights to be protected. For these reasons, a patent attorney participation in the preparation of an application is unavoidable, for without the necessary skills a patent even for a breakthrough invention may prove to be ineffective, giving a protection too narrow or voidable.

Stages

Search

Database lookup for inventions, utility models, scientific publications, browsing through Internet open sources for the prior art observation and analog identification. 

A report is provided with recommendations and cited references.

Application

Preparation of an application (formulating the claims, drawing up the description, and providing illustrative figures), filing the application with further support through correspondence with the Patent Office by means of online systems until the patent is granted.

Patent

A patent is to be extended by an annual fee starting from the third year of validity. If the fee is not duly paid, the protection is terminated. The protection may be restored within 3 years.

Timely registration of any changes of the patent holder name and address also essentially matters.