News & Blog

Which patent attorney best suits your business? There are many intellectual property (IP) firms in the UK and thousands of registered patent attorneys.  Traditionally, location has been close to the top of any list of criteria for choosing, but  since the…

Taking a new product to market

Are you in the process of developing a new product, process or service? Have your thought about how you will protect your new venture from copying? Read on for for five common IP mistakes, and how to avoid them…

Protecting your GUI Key advances in technology the last ten or more years has led to widespread availability and use of mobile phones, computers, and other personal electronic devices, all of which include graphical user interfaces (GUIs). Many businesses now…

Is imitation really the sincerest form of flattery? In a world where many retailers rely heavily on social media influencers to sell their products, one might be forgiven for thinking that ‘imitation’ is the new ‘inspiration’ in business, and there are certainly…

What happened? In a nutshell, Pfizer filed a lawsuit against one of its long-time employees for stealing confidential documents, some of which relate to their COVID-19 vaccine, whilst preparing to leave to join a competitor.  That competitor, Xencor, is not named…

Patents – What are they? Patents protect products and processes that involve some technical, rather than purely aesthetic, innovation. If you have a patent for something, it gives you the right to stop others from making or selling something that is covered by the…

Introduction Surely not all of the energy we, as founders of successful SMEs, have expended, and continue to expend, on starting and growing our business, can be lost in heat and noise?  The scientist in me thinks not; but where is that energy conserved within…

We explore the use of ‘alternative’ IP strategies that could provide crucial IP protection relatively quickly and protect your stocking filler without breaking the bank.

Episode 1 Technology has advanced at an astounding rate in recent years, and innovation has continued to be prolific, resulting in huge numbers of patent applications being filed every year by innovators expecting to capitalise on their inventions. Not all patented…

Episode 2 The wonderful world of patents (2) Once again. I find myself drawn to weird and wonderful patents as inspiration to start the New Year. Many of the world’s population (predominantly female, I suspect) will have started (yet another) diet on 1st January 2022,…

Patents for Board Games It may come as a surprise to some that board games and card games are, under certain conditions, patentable in the UK and in the USA, and patents for board games can be hugely valuable. In fact, one of the best known board games in the world…

It’s amazing what you discover when you Google “female innovators”.  One particularly notable innovator was none other than Hedy Lamarr, the star of the big screen in the 1920s. Publicity photo c.1940 Ahead of her time In her spare time, she worked on inventions of…

Remember this?  Rubik’s Cube® I remember when the Rubik’s cube® hit the shelves in shops around the UK.  Years before the internet was invented, it nevertheless became an overnight sensation and everyone I knew had one.  People started bragging about how quickly they…

I couldn’t let Valentines Day go past without picking up on one of the longest courtships in history. Barbie and Ken have, I’m sure, celebrated many Valentines Days together. And they have a sound IP strategy to thank for that. Barbie and Ken – how a sound IP strategy…

Essential IP for app developers I hear, all too often, that ‘apps can’ be patented’, but this is not necessarily true. Even if your app is not patentable, that does not necessarily mean that we cant place at least some valuable intellectual property around it, to…

IP Valuation I repeatedly wax lyrical about not underestimating the value of intellectual property to your business. IP protects your key differentiators, the elements of your business offerings that set them apart from your competitors. To you (and your business), IP…

Why register your design? I am often asked, if you have patent protection for your innovative product, why register your design as well? Registered designs protect the outward appearance of something, rather than its underlying technical concept.  For that reason,…

IP protection for your databases Have you invested a lot of time, effort and know-how into creating databases within your business? Among the most valuable assets within many businesses are the collections of data they have created in order to allow them to carry on…

Insure your USPs with registered IP Registered IP rights are just like more traditional insurance products: you hope you are never in a situation whereby you need to use it. But if you do, financial (and other) recompense can be claimed. But, unlike traditional…

Patent Searching Every year, hundreds of thousands of patent applications are published globally and, as a searchable collection, published patent specifications hold a wealth of commercially-useful, as well as scientifically-valuable, information. Whether you want to…

the Unitary Patent and the UPC Introduction The European Patent Convention currently allows an applicant to seek patent protection in the 38 EPC Member States via a single European patent application which, once granted, can be validated in any or all of those…

Is it safe to tell people about my invention? I am often asked, when is it safe to tell people about my invention?  Along with, who can I tell?  What is to stop them from stealing my ideas?  How can I raise funds or market interest if I can’t tell…

How long does it take to get a patent? We are often asked, how long does it take to get a patent? And the answer is not as straightforward as you might think. It varies country-by-country, but in the UK, it can take anything from 21 months to 4 years to process a…

What is a patent, and what is the point of having a UK patent? In the first of our series of Bitesize blogs about UK patents, we discuss: What is a patent and what is the point of having a UK patent? What is a patent? A patent is a form of intellectual property right…

Fit your IP strategy to your product development cycle I am often asked, when, during the product development cycle, is the best time to put IP in place, and the answer is, there is no “best” time or ‘one size fits all’ solution: every case is different and need a…

What is copyright Copyright is an intellectual property right usually associated with artistic creations like novels and feature films.  We all know that things like that cannot be copied without consequence.  But what does it mean to us, as business owners, rather…

The power of registered designs Registered designs protect the outward appearance of a product (as opposed to patents, which protect innovative technical concepts and functionality). For this reason, they are often considered to be ‘weaker’ intellectual property…

The UPC to open its doors on 1st April 2023 In a previous blog, I reported the imminent start of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) and explained the basics in relation to the UPC and the Unitary Patent (UP).   I can now report that the UPC’s Administrative Committee has…

Why do patents cost so much…? …and are you maximising the value you’re getting for your money? I am often asked ‘why do patents cost so much…?’. Unfortunately, there is no one simple answer, but I thought I’d try and explain a little bit, and also provide some…

If you follow my blogs, you’ll have heard me say that your intellectual property rights allow you to stop others from copying your innovation and muscling in on your market share. BUT, if someone does copy you, you have to take action to stop them. You might think…

It is a common myth that software inventions are not patentable in the UK and Europe, but this simply isn’t true. It is true to say that computer software per se is not patentable in the UK and Europe (and many other countries around the world). BUT that does not mean…

Know-how, confidential information and trade secrets, are not, strictly speaking, intellectual property rights. However, there is some overlap, and they tend to be treated in much the same way as formal IP rights when it comes to valuing or selling a company, so they…

It is true to say that China’s intellectual property regime has earned a bad reputation in the past. And its reputation for copying others’ products and selling them for less is even worse. Which has led many innovators to think, “it isn’t worth patenting my invention…

A transition across the global landscape toward knowledge-based economies has led policymakers to prioritise unlocking intangible asset funding. So what can you do to give yourself the best chance of successfully financing your innovation with IP? Facts and figures A…

…and how can it help your IP Strategy? What is an NDA? ‘NDA’ stands for ‘Non Disclosure Agreement’, and is often used interchangeably with ‘Confidentiality Agreement’.  It is a contract between you and one or more other parties, setting out the conditions under…

Do you like my ‘photograph’? I created it in a matter of minutes using DALL-E2. But do I own the copyright? If not, who owns the copyright in an image created using an AI art generator? It’s a good question. And there are two parts to it really: what are you allowed…

The Role of a Patent Attorney: Safeguarding Innovation and Intellectual Property In a rapidly evolving world driven by innovation and technology, the protection of intellectual property has become increasingly important. Entrepreneurs, inventors, and businesses invest…

Do you think your invention is too “obvious” to be patentable? You’re not alone. I so often hear inventors dismiss their inventions, or elements of them, as “obvious” and, therefore, unpatentable that I feel moved to write again about this often misunderstood (or…

A patent is a piece of intellectual property (IP) that protects technical innovation. If you have a patent for your product, process, system (or part of it), you can stop your competitors from doing the same for up to twenty years. What is the difference between…

The first of our FAQs series: What is a patent? Can patents play an essential role in business growth? A patent can be a hugely powerful monopoly. Not only can it stop your competitors from doing the same, and protect your revenue stream, but it can also act as a…

The second of our FAQs series: Can patents play an essential role in business growth? I am often asked, what is patentable? Well, you could try reading the Patent Office guide to patentability in their Manual of Patent Practice, which is long, complicated and rather…

The fourth of our FAQs series: What is invention harvesting? When you’re trying to decide what might need protecting, start by thinking about what it is that will distinguish your business and/or product(s) from those of your nearest competitors. What features will…

The fifth of our FAQs series: What is involved in the patent process? The patent process in the UK (and most other countries) is relatively long (usually 3-4 years), and there are various deadline-driven stages and procedures that need to be followed. To the…

In the news recently, we have been told that the UK is now out of recession.  It sounds like good news, and of course it will be once the economy starts to settle down and, hopefully, grow.  But investment in innovation still seems to be sluggish, and one wonders if…

A recent court case has highlighted just how complex patents can be when they involve AI. If you’re working with an Artificial Neural Network or a similar computer program, then this may useful to understand. In a recent appeal, the High Court overturned a decision by…

The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) has published its “IP for a Creative and Innovative UK Strategy 2024 to 2027”; and identifies three “pillars” that will underpin its work in the three years ahead. These are: High quality, efficient and accessible services;…

IP rights help you to protect the innovative parts of your business, but timing can be key. We discuss the various IP rights and what (and when) to do something to secure them so you don’t run out of time to protect your IP

Many potential clients come to us knowing that they need some form of intellectual property (IP) to protect their innovative products, designs or brand names/logos, but are often unsure about what type of IP they need..  There are three main types of registered…

It is reasonably rare for a client or potential client to have come up with some groundbreaking or breakthrough technology that is completely different and vastly improved compared with what is already known.  It is much more common to see step-change improvements or…

According to some reports, the global application development platform market was valued at $5,497M in 2018 and is expected to reach $34,768M by 2025.  This extraordinary predicted growth (32.9% pa) is based on the rising demand for commercial mobile devices and the…

If your innovation matters, the question is not just how to protect it.It’s how that protection changes the behaviour of everyone around you. Patents don’t just give you legal rights.They influence what competitors do next. That’s where the full extent of their value…

Use UK patents to reduce your corporation tax As an innovative business owner, you may have dismissed the idea of patents. Perhaps you think they’re too expensive? Or that the process is too long and complex? Or you don’t think the technical aspects of you innovation…

what to expect after filing your UK patent application A lot of time and energy (and, often, money) goes into carefully crafting your patent specification and claims. Then you file your UK patent application.  And you can get on with commercialising your innovation. …

Timing your patent application just right When it comes to protecting innovation, timing is everything—but starting the conversation early is just as critical. For innovative product development businesses, understanding how and when to approach patents and other…

How to Use Patents to Fund Your Innovation Developing new products is expensive. Many of the costs—research, prototyping, and testing—are incurred long before you generate any revenue. But what if your intellectual property could help fund that journey? In the UK,…

When you’re developing a product, it is only natural that you will want to protect it, so that you can stop your competitors from muscling in on your market share.  Many people think the best/only way to do that is to have a patent. And then try to design a product…

Have you thought about how you’re going to stop your competitors from copying your new products or technology?  Or how you’re going to hold onto your market share as your company grows and develops? In the competitive world of tech startups, patents are often…

You’ve identified a problem with, or an improvement to, a consumer product used by millions.  You’ve developed your idea into a viable new product – a process ha is rarely simple and never without significant cost, both financial and effort.  You’re pretty…

Many innovators and product developers view patents as expensive or unnecessary—but are they really? The truth is, the most successful technology companies, both large and small, file patents for every major innovation. If you’ve invested time, money, and resources…

Why is IP important to commercial success? In today’s hyper-competitive and innovation-driven economy, businesses are increasingly relying on intangible assets to gain a competitive edge. Among those, intellectual property (IP)—such as patents, trademarks, copyrights,…

Why register your designs Why register your designs? Think about how we buy products these days.  If you’re anything like me, your buying habits will have become increasingly ‘visual’.  I will search online for something I want to buy, and the overwhelming choice…