Patents
A patent is a way to protect a new invention which can be applied in business, trade or industry. It grants the patent holder (patentee) an exclusive right to the ownership of the invention. For an invention to be patentable it must meet three requirements:
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It must be novel (new).
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It must have an inventive step.
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It must be capable of being used or applied in trade, industry, or agriculture.
Novel means that it must be confidential. In other words, it must not be public knowledge or knowledge already known in the industry in which it applies (or any other industry).
The patent will give you exclusive rights to the making, selling, offering for sale, or importing of the invention within the jurisdiction in which it is granted.
To find out more, see our helpful brochure below.
Should you require assistance with Patents, contact us here.
The Adams & Adams patent attorneys are all qualified attorneys with engineering or science degrees. In addition, many of our professional assistants are fully qualified attorneys with technical degrees and are all in the process of qualifying as patent agents.
Our highly experienced team of experts and litigators is responsible for local and global patent and design filings, patent and design enforcement, and the commercialisation of patents.
We proudly render a full range of patent legal services in a wide variety of technical fields such as biotechnology, chemical engineering, chemistry and pharmaceuticals, electrical and electronic engineering, mechanical engineering, plastics and polymer technology, computer technology, and civil engineering.
If your invention meets the above criteria, here is why you should apply for one. Intellectual Property, such as a patent, really is the cornerstone of innovation and progress. It ensures that your inventions are not used or stolen by others, thereby making sure you benefit from the challenging work that goes into inventing something new.
A patent can be a huge financial and technological asset to any business, from startups to multinational corporations. In many cases the value of a patent can exceed the actual marketable value of the fixed property of the business.
Areas Of Practice
A patent application can be filed in the name of an individual or a corporate entity. An application can be assigned to an assignee who is a person or a company who has obtained a written assignment of rights for the invention from the inventor. Additionally, there can be more than one applicant, called joint applicants. Find out more in the video below.
It is a common misconception that you can have a worldwide patent. In fact, you need to obtain protection in each country or region where you require it. Find out more in the video below.
Contact One of Our Patent Law Professionals
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How can we help you?
We have offices in four major cities in South Africa: Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban. Additionally, we have 23 associate offices in the rest of Africa, the firm serves as a gateway into Africa for IP clients. Please contact your nearest office for any legal enquiry or assistance.