Understanding Public Disclosure of Inventions

February 17, 2009
Inventions

Inventors often make terrible mistakes regarding public disclosure of inventions. As such a brief explanation of public disclosure of inventions and how it will affect your patent rights is provided below.

Public disclosure of inventions entails any disclosure of information about the invention before the actual patent application filing is done.

It doesn’t just entail broadcasting or journal articles, but any means of information distribution with a detailed enough description of the invention that will make duplication or usage of the invention possible.

This thus also includes public disclosure of inventions through news articles, the Internet, forums, theses, presentations and more.

The following are pitfalls to avoid regarding public disclosure of inventions:

• Discussions with people other than those working on the project
• Website posts
• Abstracts about the proposed patent
• Posters
• Communication through unprotected emails
• Presentations and talks at seminars or any form of meetings.

Once public disclosure of inventions has taken place, the patent applications will not be successful.

Patent Links

1. Gadget Invention Patent Application – Even before you take the gadget invention to another party for review and assistance, file the all important provisional patent application.
2. How to Patent Inventions – To protect your rights as an inventor you need to file patent applications for your inventions in each country, where protection is sought.
3. Protect your Invention – For public disclosure and protection of an invention, the inventor needs to apply for a patent.
4. Patent Application – Contact Request

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Patent Rights Categories

January 19, 2009
Patents

There are a few categories for patent rights, but we recommend that you get in touch with one of our attorneys to help you determine under which category/categories you can file your invention for patent rights:

• Machines
• Manufacturing items
• Components
• Processes
• Improvements

Machines
Machines can be mechanical devices or various devices together with a specific function that will lead to an outcome.

Manufactured items
This include any items not already included under machines, but which are tangible.

Components
The result of a mixture of compounds whether chemical or mechanical.

Processes
Specific steps or treatments which lead to an outcome that can be measured.

Improvements
Alterations to any of the above mentioned products.

Patent Links

1. Gadget Invention Patent Application – Even before you take the gadget invention to another party for review and assistance, file the all important provisional patent application.
2. How to Patent Inventions – To protect your rights as an inventor you need to file patent applications for your inventions in each country, where protection is sought.
3. Protect your Invention – For public disclosure and protection of an invention, the inventor needs to apply for a patent.
4. Patent Application – Contact Request

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What are Patent Rights?

May 29, 2008
Patents

What exactly are your patent rights?

A patent is a set of exclusive rights that enable you to exclude anyone from making, using, selling or offering for sale the patented invention without your express permission.

A patent right is regarded as property, and in terms of the Law it may be disposed of in the same way as property. So it may be licensed out for the use of others; it may be sold, assigned or transferred, mortgaged, given away, or even just abandoned.

By these means you can enjoy all of the profit from your invention for the duration of the patent rights, in the case of South Africa this is for 20 years. If someone contravenes your rights there is no call upon the Patent Office.

It would be up to you to consult a lawyer and to sue the offending party in the civil courts.

Patent Links

1. Gadget Invention Patent Application – Even before you take the gadget invention to another party for review and assistance, file the all important provisional patent application.
2. How to Patent Inventions – To protect your rights as an inventor you need to file patent applications for your inventions in each country, where protection is sought.
3. Protect your Invention – For public disclosure and protection of an invention, the inventor needs to apply for a patent.
4. Patent Application – Contact Request

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