What is an invention patent?
It is a set of exclusive rights granted by the State to an inventor. These rights include the possibility of exclusively exploiting the invention economically for a term of 20 years.
What can and cannot be patented?
Through patent registration, inventions that consist of products, processes or manufacturing methods, instruments, apparatus, or derived machinery can be protected.
On the other hand, we must consider that the following are not susceptible to patent: biological processes for the production, reproduction, or programming of plants and animals; biological and genetic material; animal breeds; the human body and its components; plant and mineral varieties; computer programs (source code); methods or forms of presenting information; methods for conducting business, games, or mental acts.
What is the difference between a patent and a utility model?
Although the requirements for both inventions are similar, it can be stated that in the case of utility models, they are less rigorous, as they refer to inventions of lower inventive step than invention patents. On the other hand, it should be noted that the term of protection for utility models is only 10 years, compared to 20 years for a patent.
Lastly, it is worth mentioning that utility models are considered adaptations or improvements of existing products or adaptations to such products.
What elements must an invention meet to be eligible for protection?
The invention must meet three essential characteristics: first, the invention must have industrial application; second, it must possess an inventive step, meaning it is not the result of an obvious development; and third, it must be novel, in other words, the invention must not be within the state of the art, which is assessed worldwide.
For how long is the patented invention protected?
The protection granted to an invention patent is 20 years counted from the filing date of the application.
What happens if there are two parallel patent applications for the same invention?
In the event that the invention is patentable, the rights will be granted to the applicant who filed the application first.
If you are interested in registering your invention, WHAT ARE THE STEPS TO FOLLOW?
You should contact us at the email address patentes@azc.com.co in order to schedule a teleconference or initial meeting to learn more about your invention for its filing. Likewise, you can contact us through any of the following means:
PBX in Cali: (2) 891-2618 ext:121
PBX in Medellín: (4) 605-2024 ext:121
Toll-Free National Line: 01(800) 518-4768
Director of Patent Agreements: 304-367-4849