 |
PATENTS AND UTILITY MODELS
A utility model is a registered right that confers on its
proprietor exclusive protection for an invention, in a similar
manner to a patent. In general, as with a patent, to be protected
by a utility model, an invention must be new, involve an inventive
step, and lend itself to industrial application.
The level of inventiveness required, however, is generally lower
than that for a patent. In addition, utility models may be granted
without prior examination to establish that these conditions have
been met. This means that protection could be obtained more quickly
and at less cost than with a patent, but on the other hand it would
have less legal certainty.
« Back | European patent | PCT System |
|
