A patent is a protective right granted by the federal government for a technical invention. Invention, in the legal sense, is a solution to a technical problem. Inventions include products (e.g., heatable ski boots, or chemical compounds such as aspirin) and processes (e.g., a process for freeze-drying coffee). If an invention is novel, non-obvious to a person skilled in the art and can be commercially applied (useful) it is patentable.
Information regarding protection for trademarks and designs can be found on the intellectual property .

Advantages of patent protection
Owning a patent gives you the exclusive right to prevent others from commercially using your invention for up to 20 years. During this period you can prohibit others from using it, producing, using, selling or importing - without your permission. This makes it possible to recoup the money invested in the development and to make a profit. In return you are required to provide an exact description of the invention and to disclose it to the public. This provides researchers with an important source of information for further development.
Our Firm is qualified to handle patent matters, such as preparing, drafting patent applications and defending patents in many technical areas, including computers and computer software, electronics, mechanics, printing technologies, medical devices, video-surveillance, home appliances, sports devices, business methods and industrial processes.

Our firm has full capability for filing patent applications in all major countries of the world through a carefully developed network of select foreign associates and our staff has extensive experience in handling filings under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), the European Patent Convention (EPC) as well as in many individual countries (such as Switzerland and France).
Our Patents team offers the following services:

• Researching the state of the art
• Drafting patent applications
• Submitting patent applications in any country desired
  • Countries in which patent protection can be obtained by means of a European Patent Application
  • Countries in which patent protection can be obtained by means of a PCT Application
  • Countries in which priority can be claimed in accordance with the international conventions: “The Paris Convention” or “The WTO-TRIPS Agreement”
• Drafting translations
• Replying to official notifications
• Paying annuities
• Defending patent rights in cases of infringement by third parties