If you have a patent that’s valuable in the United States, it could also be valuable overseas. You need to properly protect yourself before bringing a product and your intellectual property to a new market though. That’s why it’s important to carefully consider your global patent filing strategies and take advantage of any tools available to you to successfully expand your footprint. A California handbag design patent lawyer from our firm can help you with that.
What Should Be Done Before Any Global Patent Filing?
A global patent filing strategy can require a lot of work if you want it to be successful. You need to do some research and figure out exactly which goals to pursue. Just jumping in without any real plan is just likely to waste time and money.
We recommend that you:
- Analyze key markets and see where your product could have the biggest base of potential consumers
- Think about how expansion into specific markets can align with existing business goals
- Estimate the costs of filing patent applications in multiple countries
- Figure out if there are any cost-saving and time-saving measures that can simplify the process for you
Are There Ways to Simplify the Global Patent Filing Process?
In many cases, you don’t have to file a patent application in every single country you want to do business in. Sometimes as a part of a global patent filing strategy, you can take advantage of applications that work for multiple countries.
One of the best examples of this is the Patent Cooperation Treaty, or PCT. This allos applicants to seek patent protection in all of its member countries with just one application. How many countries does the PCT cover? A few? A couple dozen? The answer is 158! This can be a great way to expand into new markets with minimal hassle.
Another good example of this would be applying through the European Patent Office. If your application is approved, you now have protection in multiple EU member states.
How Can I Protect My Patents?
Once you have filed for a patent in another country, your job isn’t done yet. You also need to do everything that you can to protect those patents in their new markets. Some important steps to take include:
- Ensure that patents are properly translated so that there is no ambiguity
- Learn about local patent laws and practices
- Periodically review your portfolio and look for suspicious activity
Now, it can be difficult to handle all of these things on your own. That’s why it’s a good idea to have an experienced patent attorney on your side. Our firm can help you do the research needed to protect your intellectual property no matter where it is in the world.
Contact Our Law Firm Today
So if you are interested in using your patents in other markets, contact Burns Patent Law. We can tell you more about how an experienced attorney can assist you with your global patent filing strategy. Schedule your consultation today.
