When you patent a new invention, you may want to market it in multiple territories. Then you try to figure out which countries have what kind of rules about patents, and you end up confused or discouraged. Don’t let any cross-jurisdictional patent laws get you down though! An experienced Orange County, California patent lawyer from our firm can help you learn more about international patent requirements and what you have to do to make your entrance into other markets.
Are There Major Differences in Patent Laws in Different Markets?
There can be. The biggest issue is often the differences in what each country can decide is a patentable invention or idea. One region may see something that you have made as new and novel. Another may not. This can mean that different patent laws in different countries are more or less effective at protecting your idea.
This issue also extends to the enforcement and litigation processes. It can be tougher to defend your patent when you are dealing with different legal systems and standards. Safeguarding your invention can be quite the expense in some places.
How Can I Prepare to Deal with Cross-Jurisdictional Patent Laws?
One thing that can help is an international patent search. You can check out individual markets that you want to target and see if there is a patent matching your invention or idea already. Knowing whether or not a patent application in a certain country will be an uphill battle can help you decide whether or not pursuing one will be worthwhile.
You can also study the patent laws and requirements in different markets to understand what needs to go into a successful patent application. If you can learn what kinds of applications succeed and which do not, you can tailor your application to better suit the local authorities and their standards.
Finally, it pays to learn about ways that you can apply for patents in multiple markets at once. Agreements like the Patent Cooperation Treaty can allow you to target a number of countries at once and apply for patent protection in all of them.
Do I Need a Lawyer to Deal With Cross-Border Challenges?
In some cases, yes. It can be much easier to figure out how to address patent laws in different jurisdictions if you have an experienced attorney on your side. They can answer your questions, tell you about key differences in cross-border rules, and do everything that they can to help you protect your invention or idea.
Contact Our Law Firm
If you are thinking about patenting an invention or algorithm, don’t get discouraged if targeting an international market seems difficult. Contact Burns Patent Law and schedule a consultation. An experienced patent attorney can learn more about your goals and tell you how our law firm can help you achieve them.
