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  • Invention protection

    Patent for an invention – from assessing the idea to grant

    A patent gives you up to 20 years of exclusivity to use a technical solution. We will check whether your solution can be protected, prepare the application and handle the proceedings before the Polish Patent Office, the European Patent Office and under the international PCT route.

    Talk to a patent attorney How long does a patent take and what does it cost?

What a patent gives you

Market exclusivity. Only you decide who may make, sell and import a product based on your invention. A competitor who copies the solution infringes your right – and you can effectively pursue your claims.

Time to earn back your investment. R&D is expensive. A patent gives you up to 20 years to profit from it before others can legally use it.

An asset with real value. A patent can be sold, contributed in kind or licensed. For investors and partners it is proof that your technological advantage is secured.

A strong negotiating position. A patent portfolio makes talks with distributors, industrial partners and competitors easier – including when it comes to cross-licensing.

Protection for up to

20 years

UPRP · EPO · PCT

national, European and international applications

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Can your solution be patented?

A patent can be obtained for a technical solution in any field if it meets three conditions.

01

Novelty

The solution must not have been disclosed anywhere in the world before: in a publication, a patent application, at a trade fair or online – including by you.

02

Inventive step

The solution must not follow obviously from the prior art. A specialist in the field should not arrive at it as a matter of routine.

03

Industrial applicability

The solution must be capable of being made or used in business, in a repeatable way.

What you cannot patent

  • discoveries, scientific theories and mathematical methods
  • schemes, rules and methods of doing business
  • computer programs as such
  • creations of a purely aesthetic nature – these are protected by an industrial design
  • methods of treatment and diagnosis of humans and animals

Is your solution a practical design improvement without a clear inventive step? Consider a utility model – lower requirements, shorter protection.

Utility models

What the service includes

We take your invention through the whole protection cycle – from the first assessment to enforcement:

We assess patentability

  • prior art searches in patent databases and literature
  • an opinion on the chances of a patent and a recommended form of protection

We prepare the application documents

  • description, patent claims, abstract and drawings
  • we draft the claims to make protection as broad as possible while still obtainable

We file the application and handle the proceedings

  • before the Polish Patent Office, the EPO or under the PCT
  • we respond to examiners’ objections and represent you until the patent is granted

We extend protection abroad

  • applications claiming priority, PCT national phase entries, validation of European patents
  • cooperation with attorneys in countries outside Europe

We maintain protection

  • we monitor deadlines and renewal fees in Poland and abroad

We defend your patent

  • oppositions, invalidations, infringement disputes, freedom-to-operate opinions

We advise on agreements

  • licences, assignment of rights, employee inventions

Who this service is for

Start-ups and tech companies

A patent secures the technology your company is built on and is a strong argument in talks with investors.

Manufacturers and SMEs

You protect the solutions that set your product apart before competitors copy them. You can use SME Fund support.

Large companies with R&D departments

We manage application portfolios in many countries, coordinate deadlines and advise on which solutions are worth protecting.

Universities, institutes and spin-offs

We help secure research results before publication and prepare them for commercialisation.

How to obtain a patent – step by step

01

Initial consultation

You tell us about your solution and market plans. The conversation is confidential.

02

Prior art search

We check whether the solution is new and involves an inventive step. We tell you plainly what the chances are.

03

Preparing the application

Together with you or your engineers we describe the invention and draft the patent claims.

04

Milestone

Filing

We file the documents with the office. The filing date becomes the priority date.

05

Proceedings before the office

The application is published 18 months after the priority date and examined on the merits. We respond to the examiner’s objections.

06

Milestone

Grant of the patent

After the office decision and payment of the fee, the patent is entered in the register.

07

Maintenance and extension

We monitor renewal fees and, within 12 months of filing, help you decide on protection abroad.

We reply to enquiries within [X] working days.

How long a patent takes and what it costs

Time and cost depend on the technical field, the complexity of the solution and the number of countries. After the initial consultation you receive a cost estimate broken down into stages.

How long it takes

Prior art search and opinion [X] weeks

Preparing the application [X] weeks

Polish Patent Office proceedings to decision [X] years

EPO proceedings to grant [X] years

PCT international phase up to 30 months from priority

What the cost consists of

Official fees – for filing, publication and grant of the patent

Our fees – for the search, preparing the documents and handling the proceedings

Translations – for applications and validations abroad

Renewal fees – for each subsequent year of protection, increasing over time

We agree our fees before work begins – no surprises at later stages. Small and medium-sized businesses can recover part of the costs under the SME Fund.

Check the terms

Protection abroad

Patents abroad – which route to choose

A patent only applies where you obtain it. You have 12 months from the first filing to extend protection while keeping the priority date.

National

National applications

A separate application in each chosen country.

Choose when

you sell in 1-2 markets and want quick protection.

EPO

European patent

One procedure, followed by validation in selected countries or a unitary patent.

Choose when

you operate in several European markets.

PCT

International application

A single application postpones the choice of countries by up to 30 months from the priority date.

Choose when

you do not yet know where you will sell, or you are looking for partners and funding.

Poland and the unitary patent

Poland does not take part in the unitary patent system. To protect an invention in Poland on the basis of a European patent, it must be validated at the Polish Patent Office.

Markets outside Europe

We handle applications in the USA, China, Japan and other countries with trusted partner firms. You have a single point of contact.

Your invention will be handled by

Patent attorneys with a technical background and European qualifications. Your matter is handled by someone who knows your field.

–

[Name and surname]

Coordinator of Patent Team I · mechanics and mechanical engineering

[e-mail] · [phone]

–

[Name and surname]

Coordinator of Patent Team II · chemistry, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals

[e-mail] · [phone]

–

[Name and surname]

European patent attorney · electronics and IT

[e-mail]

–

[Name and surname]

European patent attorney · [field]

[e-mail]

Meet the whole patent team

Experience in technology protection

[X]

patent applications per year

[X]

European patents validated in Poland

50+ years

of practice in industrial property protection

We protect solutions in:

Mechanical engineering

Energy

Chemistry and materials

Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology

Electronics and telecommunications

Medtech

Awards and recognition

Recognised in patent practice

International IP firm rankings – IAM Patent 1000, WTR 1000, IP STARS – have recommended POLSERVICE for invention and trademark protection for years.

Frequently asked questions

Proceedings before the Polish Patent Office take roughly [X] years, before the EPO [X] years. Your rights are secured from the filing date, though – this is the priority date from which novelty is assessed.

Up to 20 years from the filing date, provided renewal fees are paid. For medicines and plant protection products a supplementary protection certificate can extend protection by up to 5 years.

Yes. Once the application is filed you can show and sell the product without risk to novelty. Full protection applies from grant, but in certain cases you can claim compensation for use of the invention from the publication of the application.

As a rule, the employer – if the invention was made in the course of employment duties and the contract does not provide otherwise. The inventor is then entitled to remuneration. It is worth settling this in contracts before the invention is made.

Yes – in exchange for protection, the description of the invention is published. Sometimes keeping the solution as a trade secret is the better strategy. We will help you decide what pays off more.

Gather evidence and contact us. We will assess the infringement, prepare a cease-and-desist letter and – if necessary – take the dispute to court.

Formally yes, but the scope of protection depends on how the patent claims are worded. Claims that are too narrow let competitors work around the patent; claims that are too broad risk refusal. Mistakes in an application usually cannot be corrected after filing.

Related services

All forms of technology protection

Utility models

Faster, less expensive protection for practical design improvements.

More

Patent searches

Prior art, patentability and freedom to operate before launch.

More

Protection strategy

A protection plan for your whole portfolio of technologies, countries and budget.

More

Want to patent your solution?

Briefly describe what the invention is about. A patent attorney from your field will call you back and suggest the first step. The conversation is confidential.

Direct contact

[Area coordinator]

[phone] · [e-mail]

Please do not include technical details – we will discuss them during the consultation.