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UK Patent Advice
Why should I patent my invention?
A patent will give you legal protection against unauthorised copying. The patent number can be used on your product, website and literature as a deterrent.
Can I patent a Business Method / Software / a Game ?
In the USA, yes if it is unique and inventive. But in the UK and Europe, it is likely to be much more difficult or impossible. However, a Registered Design might be suitable. Ask us for further advice.
How can I reduce the costs of my patent application?
For a European patent application, extra official fees are incurred on sixteen or more claims and thirty five pages or more.
If you have an invention which is suitable for many areas around the world, should you file an international patent application straightaway?
If you are sure the invention is unique, then file an international (PCT) patent application straightaway. However, initially it is likely to be cheaper filing a domestic patent application and obtaining a good quality initial search from the local patent office. If the search is positive, then with greater confidence file your PCT within 12 months and with a priority claim.
I have a local or domestic patent application, eg. in the USA or UK. When should I be filing an equivalent European patent application?
File your European patent application at any time within the first 12 months of your first filed patent application, and claim its priority thereby effectively back-dating your European patent application.
UK Patent Tips
It will be difficult to patent a business method, software or a game in the UK and Europe, but it may be possible in the USA.
Save money by giving as many details, drawings, embodiments and possible modifications to your invention at the beginning of the patenting process.
This should avoid re-filing to add in new material at a later date, thus keeping your costs down.
You can avoid large extra official fees when filing your US patent application by changing any multiple dependency claims to single dependency, so that your later claims only depend back to one previous claim.
By also limiting your claims to no more than three independent claims and to no more than twenty claims altogether, extra official fees will also be avoided.