Imec-Uhasselt
Diepenbeek, April 1 2015
Patent Fundamentals
From invention to Patent
2 © IMEC 2012 / CONFIDENTIAL
IP AT HASSELT UNIVERSITY – ANSWER 3 –
3 © IMEC 2012 / CONFIDENTIAL
IP AT HASSELT UNIVERSITY – ANSWER 3 –
4 © IMEC 2012 / CONFIDENTIAL
▸ Inventorship has legal consequences
▸ An inventor is any-one who makes an intellectual
contribution to the claimed solution
▸ A person only implementing the invention using his
expertise or by following instructions is not an inventor by
default.
▸ A person only coaching or managing is not an inventor by
default.
INVENTORSHIP
5 © IMEC 2012 / CONFIDENTIAL
IMEC’S PATENT GROUP
ATFPV
ANCHEM
CHEM
6 © IMEC 2012 / CONFIDENTIAL
IMEC’S PATENT GROUP
ATFPV
ANCHEM
CHEM
PHYSICS
7 © IMEC 2012 / CONFIDENTIAL
IMOMEC PATENT PORTFOLIO
active patent (applications)
inventions reported
Areas
Organic incl PV, LED
Reliability/characterization
Alternative Thin film PV
Solid state Battery
8 © IMEC 2012 / CONFIDENTIAL
IMOMEC PATENT PORTFOLIO
9 © IMEC 2012 / CONFIDENTIAL
TIMELINE PATENT FAMILY
10 © IMEC 2012 / CONFIDENTIAL
US
EP
US
JP
FR
UK
DE
12 months
priority
18 months publication (A)
20 years from filing
grant
grant
grant
filing prosecution
publication
filing filing prosecution publication
publication filing prosecution
lapse
lapse
lapse
11 © IMEC 2012 / CONFIDENTIAL
How to prepare ?
▸ Understand your invention - what problem do you solve?
- how do you solve this problem?
▸ Know the details of the state-of-the-art - is your problem known?
- are other solutions to your problem known?
▸ Do not forget your own relevant published work !
2. 1 STEP 1 : Discussing the scope of the invention
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Differences : (A – B)
Function/effect of (A – B)
What specifically: (A)
Is (A – B) obvious?
IRS
Invention A Cited
References B
2. 2 STEP 2 : Discussing the scope of the invention
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2. 2 STEP 2 : Discussing the scope of the invention
Features A
high aspect ratio
conformal
heated substrate
liquid
(sol gel + ethanol)
spray coated
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2. 2 STEP 2 : Discussing the scope of the invention
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- Communication Protocols -
Vocabulary (IP jargon)
Rules & Procedures IP law
Claims
PATENT APPLICATION
Description
Figures
1.
2.
Provide the “exclusivity” scope
(monopoly*)
Help
Person
Skilled
in the art
Scope 1
Scope 2
Scope 3
Translation into “legalese”
16 © IMEC 2012 / CONFIDENTIAL
Translation into “claims”
Features A D1 D2 D3 D4
high aspect ratio
conformal
heated substrate
liquid
(sol gel + ethanol)
spray coated
ALL NO NOVELTY
IF ONE NOVELTY
17 © IMEC 2012 / CONFIDENTIAL
3. 1 STEP 3 : How to deal with Search Reports
Compare A with whole
prior-art document Dx
(description, figures,
abstract, claims, etc.) Add additional features from
description into the imec CLAIMS ?
Invention
Version 1 A’
Invention
Version 1 A’
Scope of
Invention A Search
Report Dx
Is the resulting CLAIM
inline with the
business strategy ?
YES
What specifically: (A)
Differences : (A – Dx)
Function/effect of (A – Dx) Is (A – Dx) obvious?
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3. 2 STEP 3 : How to deal with Search Reports
Features A D1 D2 D3 D4 D5
high aspect ratio
conformal
heated substrate
liquid
(sol gel + ethanol)
spray coated
ALL NO NOVELTY
IF ONE NOVELTY
D5
19 © IMEC 2012 / CONFIDENTIAL
SPECIFIC
Patent
Application
A’
Figures
Description
Uses
Claims
Black and white
Patterns/Styles
Color
Grayscale
Explained
terms
Ambiguous
Track changes
Parallel reviews
CLAIM
AIM / RESULT
≠ System
Device
Process
Block scheme
Circuit
Flow chart
System A, B ...
Device A, B ...
complete
description
4. 1 STEP 4 : Drafting the Patent Application
20 © IMEC 2012 / CONFIDENTIAL
SPECIFIC
Patent
Application
A’
Figures
Description
Uses
Claims
GENERIC
SPECIFIC
GENERIC
SPECIFIC
GENERIC
SPECIFIC
GENERIC
SPECIFIC
Black and white
Patterns/Styles
Color
Grayscale
Explained
terms
Ambiguous
Track changes
Parallel reviews
CLAIM
AIM / RESULT
≠
4. 2 STEP 4 : Drafting the Patent Application
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Q5: How complete ?
Device
Schemes
Tools
Components
Person Skilled
in the art
What ? How ?
?
4. 3 STEP 4 : Drafting the Patent Application
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~5-6 years
Grant
(B)
Grant
(B)
(Official)
Search report
6M
Extension
Filing in other
countries
US | JP | CN
12M
Filing
EP
0M 18M
Publication
(A)
Examination
EP | US
JP | CN
24M
Examination
Report 1
Examination
Report 2
Examination
Report N
Priority
Filing method 1: 12 months priority
5. 1 STEP 5 : What happens after FILING
12M
Filing US
Filing JP
Filing CN Extension
23 © IMEC 2012 / CONFIDENTIAL
Grant
(B)
Grant
(B)
(Official)
Search report
6M
Extension
Filing in other
countries
US | JP | CN
30M
Filing
EP
0M 18M
Publication
(A)
Examination
EP | US
JP | CN
Examination
Report 1
Examination
Report 2
Examination
Report N
Filing method 2: 30 months priority (PCT)
~5-6 years
Priority
5. 1 STEP 5 : What happens after FILING
Extension
Filing US
Filing JP
Filing CN
30M
24 © IMEC 2012 / CONFIDENTIAL
Inventors Handbook (EPO)
http://www.epo.org/learning-events/materials/inventors-handbook/sins.html
Glossary (EPO)
http://www.epo.org/service-support/glossary.html
Patents for Inventors (USPTO)
http://www.uspto.gov/inventors/patents.jsp
Inventor Basics
http://www.agentschapnl.nl/content/leaflet-patenting-your-idea
http://www.inventorbasics.com/index.htm
Funny
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShH5SP6WN1Q
Annex : Links to know more about patents