Patent Applications AFRICA
March 1, 2012
Biotechnological Patents, Chemical Sciences Patents, Diagnostics Patents, Genetic Engineering Patents, Inventions, Medical Sciences Patents, Microbiological Sciences Patents, Patents
Smit & Van Wyk, Inc. is an intellectual property law firm that specialize in obtaining and protecting your patent and design rights. Our focus is to provide legal services for intellectual property throughout Africa. We assist overseas agents and individual applicants with patent searches, patent filings, patent renewals and prosecution of patent infringement cases. Smit & Van Wyk, Inc. also provide legal advice on commercial rights attached to patents and designs.
Intellectual property is treated as business assets on the balance sheet and has a monetary value associated with it. It is most likely that your business has already generated intellectual property of value through the creativity of the individuals in the business. Once the intellectual property of a business has been identified, it is possible to protect it by means of registered, unregistered, contractual agreements or non-statutory forms of protection.
Smit & Van Wyk, Inc. patent services for inventions from the following fields Biotechnology, Business Methods, Electrical, Electronic, Mechanical, Mining, Nanotechnology and Software.
- Patent applications, filings and registrations
- Patent novelty search
- Patent maintenance and renewals
- Patent licensing
The Smit & Van Wyk, Inc. head office is located in Pretoria, South Africa providing our international and local clients with patent and design services in most countries on the African continent.
Tel:
012 349 7800
E-mail:
enquiries@svw.co.za
Recommend on Facebook- Share on Linkedin
- Tweet about it
- Buzz it up
- Print for later
- Tell a friend
Patent Inventions Categories
October 13, 2011
Inventions
Patent Inventions Categories
It is important to register a patent for your invention, but there are a 3 basic requirements that an invention need to adhere to according to South African law:
All patent applications must be:
- New
This “absolute” novelty requirement implies that any disclosure anywhere in the world before the filing date of a patent application in South Africa, will destroy the novelty of your invention, thereby forfeiting your patent rights. - Inventive
There may be similar inventions that have been disclosed to the public in patent specifications or other literature. It needs to be determined whether your invention is considered obvious or not. - Useful
Inventions with no application in trade, industry or agriculture cannot be the subject of a patent in terms of South African patent law.
Here are a few examples of invention categories:
- 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.
Complete the form below to contact the patent attorneys at Smit & Van Wyk, Inc.
This is not an official booking, just a contact request.
Any information or images supplied will be protected under the attorney-client privilege with strict confidentiality, whether you decide to continue with the application or not.
Novelty Search
An optional fixed cost preliminary novelty search can be conducted to find similar or identical patents.
The costs of conducting a fixed cost novelty search in respect of one patent
(inclusive of all fees, official expenses and VAT is limited to approximately R 2500.00)
PLEASE NOTE THAT PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE. PRICES ARE ONLY AN INDICATION. PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE FOR A FORMAL QUOTATION.
Contact Details for Smit & Van Wyk
Tel:
+27 (0) 12 349 7800
Fax:
+27 (0) 86 619 0493
E-mail:
enquiries@svw.co.za
Physical Address / Courier
Block A Apex Corporate Park
Quintin Brand Street
Persequor Technopark
Meiring Naudé Avenue
Pretoria
0184
South Africa
Additional Articles & Information
Image source: www.freedigitalphotos.net
- Recommend on Facebook
- Share on Linkedin
- Tweet about it
- Buzz it up
- Print for later
- Tell a friend
How to Apply for a Patent?
September 22, 2011
Inventions, Patents
Inventions
If your invention is new, inventive and useful, then it might qualify for patent protection.
To protect your rights as the owner of an invention, you need to file a patent application for the invention in each country, where protection is sought.
Always remember to KEEP THE INVENTION SECRET and do not market or sell the invention until a patent application has been filed at the South African Patent Office.
Patent Applications
Obtaining a patent is a two-step process spaced 12 months apart.
The first step is to file a provisional patent application for your invention in South Africa. This is done to obtain the earliest possible date from which to claim rights to your invention.
The second step is to file a complete patent application within 12 months of filing the provisional patent application in South Africa, and/or in each country where you wish to obtain patent protection.
Initial steps to protect your invention
Step 1
Contact the patent attorneys at Smit & Van Wyk, Inc. regarding your invention at enquiries@svw.co.za, or complete the form below.
This is not an official booking, just a contact request.
Any information or images supplied will be protected under the attorney-client privilege with strict confidentiality, whether you decide to continue with the application or not.
Step 2
We will contact you regarding a consultation. This will be done either at our offices in Pretoria or telephonic. We accommodate national and international clients.
Step 3
An optional fixed cost preliminary novelty search can be conducted to find similar or identical patents.
The costs of conducting a fixed cost novelty search in respect of one patent, inclusive of all fees, official expenses and VAT is limited to approximately R 2500.
Step 4
Once you decide to instruct us to proceed with the patenting process, you pay the requested deposit for the patent attorney to start working on a specification for your patent application.
Step 5
The patent attorney will start writing a patent specification for the invention. This could take 2 to 5 weeks, depending on the complexity of your invention. The attorney will then return the specification to you.
Step 6
Once the approval has been given, the patent attorney will submit your provisional patent application at the South African Patent Office in Pretoria.
Once the provisional patent has been submitted, additional steps has to be taken within 12 months to complete the application.
Feel free to contact us should you have questions or require assistance with any patent related matter.
PLEASE NOTE THAT PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE. PRICES ARE ONLY AN INDICATION. PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE FOR A FORMAL QUOTATION.
Contact Details for Smit & Van Wyk:
Tel:
+27 (0) 12 349 7800
Fax:
+27 (0) 86 619 0493
E-mail:
enquiries@svw.co.za
Physical Address / Courier
Block A Apex Corporate Park
Quintin Brand Street
Persequor Technopark
Meiring Naudé Avenue
Pretoria
0184
South Africa
Image source: www.freedigitalphotos.net
- Recommend on Facebook
- Share on Linkedin
- Tweet about it
- Buzz it up
- Print for later
- Tell a friend
How to protect my Invention?
September 15, 2011
Inventions, Patents
Inventions
To protect your rights as the owner of an invention, you need to file a patent application for the invention in each country, where protection is sought.
If your invention is new, inventive and useful, then it might qualify for patent protection.
Patent Applications
Remember to keep your invention a secret until the patent application has been filed. Do not market, or sell it until a patent application has been filed.
Obtaining a patent is a two-step process spaced 12 months apart.
The first step is to file a provisional patent application for your invention in South Africa. This is done to obtain the earliest possible date from which to claim rights to your invention.
Initial steps to protect your invention
Step 1
Contact the patent attorneys at Smit & Van Wyk, Inc. regarding your invention at enquiries@svw.co.za, or complete the form below.
This is not an official booking, just a contact request.
Any information or images supplied will be protected under the attorney-client privilege with strict confidentiality, whether you decide to continue with the application or not.
Step 2
We will contact you regarding a consultation. This will be done either at our offices in Pretoria or telephonic. We accommodate national and international clients.
Step 3
An optional fixed cost preliminary novelty search can be conducted to find similar or identical patents.
The costs of conducting a fixed cost novelty search in respect of one patent, inclusive of all fees, official expenses and VAT is limited to approximately R 2500.
Step 4
Once you decide to instruct us to proceed with the patenting process, you pay the requested deposit for the patent attorney to start working on a specification for your patent application.
Step 5
The patent attorney will start writing a patent specification for the invention. This could take 2 to 5 weeks, depending on the complexity of your invention. The attorney will then return the specification to you.
Step 6
Once the approval has been given, the patent attorney will submit your provisional patent application at the South African Patent Office in Pretoria.
Once the provisional patent has been submitted, additional steps has to be taken within 12 months to complete the application.
Feel free to contact us should you have questions or require assistance with any patent related matter.
PLEASE NOTE THAT PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE. PRICES ARE ONLY AN INDICATION. PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE FOR A FORMAL QUOTATION.
Contact Details for Smit & Van Wyk:
Tel:
+27 (0) 12 349 7800
Fax:
+27 (0) 86 619 0493
E-mail:
enquiries@svw.co.za
Physical Address / Courier
Block A Apex Corporate Park
Quintin Brand Street
Persequor Technopark
Meiring Naudé Avenue
Pretoria
0184
South Africa
Image source: www.freedigitalphotos.net
- Recommend on Facebook
- Share on Linkedin
- Tweet about it
- Buzz it up
- Print for later
- Tell a friend
Science Invention Patent
August 30, 2011
Biotechnological Patents, Chemical Sciences Patents, Medical Sciences Patents
Image source: historyking.com
Science Patent Application
A science patent can be awarded if the requirements for patentability have been met. The following cannot qualify for patentability and as such cannot be registered as science patents:
- Mathematical formulas and scientific theories.
- Information presentations.
- Metabolism of organisms.
- Discoveries of natural phenomena.
- Methods for doing business.
- Methods for performing mental acts.
- Rules for playing games.
- Computer programs.
- Biological processes.
- Medical methods for treatment of humans & animals such as therapies or surgeries.
It is possible to register a science patent in the field of bio-technology or engineering for non-living entities such as DNA, promoters, antibodies present in organisms, vectors and plasmids as well as polypeptides.
One can also register a science patent for living entities in the case of genetically modified plant, organism and animal cultures subject to meeting specific requirements.
It should be noted that genes and various forms of such are still debated and it is recommended that you approach an intellectual property attorney to help you register a science patent in the bio-technology field as it is a rather complicated process.
Our experienced patent attorneys can assist not only with registration of a science patent, but also with legal advice regarding the patentability of matter in this field.
For the filing of a science patent it is also recommended that you file a provisional application as soon as possible to ensure priority date. The patent applications involve detailed descriptions of the inventions, drawings and claims in the case of permanent patent applications.
You will have 12 months from filing the provisional application to file the complete science patent application. During the 12 month period you can further develop such and get a chance to complete the claims.
Contact us at Smit & Van Wyk for expert legal advice and assistance in filing a science patent in South Africa and abroad
- Recommend on Facebook
- Share on Linkedin
- Tweet about it
- Buzz it up
- Print for later
- Tell a friend
