Additional protection for technical products, from patent applications and carefully examine the legal status before enforcing them.
Fast register protection with its own risk structure
The utility model protects technical inventions and can complement a patent strategy. Registration takes place without examination of novelty and inventive step. There is therefore no certainty about enforceability based on the register entry alone. Processes are excluded from utility model protection.
Registration and turnoff
A direct application and branching off from a patent application are different paths. The diversion can be registered earlier- or make priority days usable, However, this requires compliance with legal requirements and deadlines. Description and protection claims must bear the intended object.
Revelations and research
The rules regarding prior art differ from patent law. A possible grace period should not become a general publishing strategy, because it cannot be easily transferred to foreign property rights. Before enforcing it, it is advisable to research and evaluate the existing law.
Violation and deletion
Infringement claims will be pursued in the relevant courts; The legal status can be challenged in a cancellation procedure at the DPMA. A defense must take both levels into account. Product changes, Licensing or limited claims may be economical alternatives.
Helpful for the first test
- Description and drawings of the product
- Existing patent- and priority documents
- Publications and attacked embodiment
We first clarify responsibility, possible conflicts of interest, Deadlines and the desired scope of the examination. We coordinate the approach and remuneration accordingly. An inquiry alone does not result in the acceptance of a mandate or compliance with a deadline.
Official information and legal basis · All 16 Practical introductions
Processing status: 7. November 2026.