We know to get anything done properly in construction you need the right mindset, people, and tools. At Perpetual Motion Patents we use this view to protect your inventions. We are the only patent agents in B.C. who understand how important innovations are to building and maintenance and have experience in your industry and patents.
Motivations
Your motivations to innovate are your own. We have clients that are focused on improving the energy efficiency of buildings. Or those that reduce the global warming potential of their products. Most clients have three main goals: increased safety, decreased costs, and increased durability.
A patent is a tool to keep the rewards and recognition of your innovation directed to you.
Three concerns for construction inventions
In talking to inventors and leaders in building maintenance and construction we see three common issues — risk, ownership, and location.
Lower the risk by asking for a patentability search
You know there isn’t another product that solves the problem you identified. However, to get a patent you need to consider if your creation is inventive, also known as non-obvious, given prior patent applications and patents. After all, you don’t want to risk money to have your application knocked out but some paper invention from decades ago. So we suggest you commission a patentability search to check the patent records — what patent examiners mostly consider. These searches have a good return on investment.
Need to share, then file a provisional patent application
You, as an innovator in your industry, want to share your invention to find customers, seek partners, and test or certify your product. Indeed, certification testing (e.g., UL, Energy Star, CSA, CE) is something many clients want to do.
Sharing your innovation before you have filed a patent application limits your rights. Meaning, that you can’t file outside the U.S. and Canada. Also, proving you are the only inventor is difficult without a previously filed patent application.
Consider filing a provisional patent application that allows you to claim “Patent Pending” status. This application preserves your rights and gives you twelve (12) months before you need to decide where you need patent protection.
File in strategic locations
Choosing where to file a patent application is a balance of business and costs. Patents are national — so there is no such thing as a worldwide patent. Nobody can afford to file in all 193 countries. Most people in the building industry file in the United States (US) and Canada (CA). However, you might want to file in other markets like those covered by the European Patent Convention (EP). Another consideration is places of production like China (CN), or transport like Hong Kong (HK), Singapore (SG), and the Netherlands (NL).
You also have the option to use the PCT system that gives you the option to file in most countries. It is often worthwhile if you can sell your business or license the patent within 30 months of filing. However, for most innovations in the construction industry, the PCT system isn’t worthwhile.
Conclusion
The patent agents at PMP can help you protect your invention. We have the background and experience to handle issues in portfolio planning and management, we have the technical familiarity of construction and building maintenance to get the job done while working to achieve the best outcomes possible. Our experience allows us to write, file, and prosecute your patent as pain-free and cost-effectively as possible so you to spend your time creating, using, and selling your inventions.
If you would like to discuss protecting your inventions then please contact us.