Applying for a Patent
The first step to obtaining a granted Patent is generally the preparation and filing of an Informal UK Patent Application. It is important that this document is professionally drafted because it ultimately defines the protection which the Patent will provide.The UK Informal Patent Application can be used to obtain worldwide Patent protection, in that one or more foreign Patent applications can be filed within the first year which can take the date of filing the UK Patent Application. It is also possible to file Patent Applications in countries other than the UK prior to or in place of filing a UK Patent Application.
By the end of the first year from filing the Informal UK Patent Application, if it is decided to continue with the application process, formal Patent Applications in the required countries are filed. These Applications are then the subject of a Patent search and subsequently an examination by the relevant Patent authorities. Once the Patent authorities of the relevant country are convinced that the invention is patentable, i.e. that it is both novel and inventive, they will then grant a Patent in respect of the invention.
Our Services
The handling of Patent Application prosecution is a deadline dependent procedure with failure to meet deadlines often resulting in the loss of the Application. Our in-house records, information and file management systems help to ensure that these dates are met.
The professional and technically competent prosecution of Patent Applications is of paramount importance and it is during the prosecution of the Application that the protection which will ultimately be provided by the granted Patent is defined. It is a significant element of the work that Bailey Walsh & Co. LLP perform for its clients, and requires careful consideration of the specification, together with detailed analysis of the prior art documents which may be cited in the search. Our drafting skills, which result from the marriage of scientific and academic backgrounds with comprehensive legal training, allow the preparation of the application in the required manner.
It is the fundamental aim of Bailey Walsh & Co. LLP to obtain the widest and most practical scope of protection for our clients' Intellectual Property Rights without rendering these Rights subject to attacks on the grounds of validity. Our expertise in amendment of Patent specifications and detailed insight into the workings of our clients' businesses enable us to achieve this aim. Details of filing procedures can be obtained from our technical staff.