Most ideas can be protected. New features can be protected by a patent; a new shape can be protected by a design; a written document / drawing / photograph can be protected against copying by copyright; and your brand can be protected by a trademark. Basically, if you can point to a feature on your … Read more
Sep 3rd, 2014Trademark attorneys are increasingly advising registration of 3D trade marks. Traditionally, if I designed a new soap dispenser, I would typically: (i) approach a patent attorney to identify new technical features that may be patented; (ii) discuss with my patent attorney filing design registrations to protecting the shape of my dispenser; and (iii) protect the … Read more
Sep 1st, 2014You can register your logo or brand directly with CIPC without first conducting a trade mark registrability search. However, you may find out 14 months later that your application has been refused due to a conflicting, pre-existing mark on the trade mark register. Not only will this pose an obstacle to you acquiring any enforceable … Read more
Sep 1st, 2014Anthony van Zantwijk – expert IP valuator Qualifications and background: BSc (Civil) Engineering, LLB cum laude, LLM (Tax), FSAIIPL Registered patent attorney and IP valuator About me: I am an intellectual property attorney with more than 20 years’ experience in negotiating, structuring and drafting international IP commercialisation transactions for many of South Africa’s multinational companies. … Read more
Aug 22nd, 2014South African Patents Act no. 57 OF 1978 (with comments) (as at 1 January 2015) General 2. Definitions In this Act, unless the context otherwise indicates: “agent” means, except in section 56 (2) (e), a patent agent or a patent attorney mentioned in section 20 or an attorney mentioned in section 22; “applicant” includes the … Read more
Jul 20th, 2014If you have an idea, and wish to protect it, start by filing patent in South Africa. A South African provisional patent application reserves your rights to file patents (practically) worldwide for a period of 12 months. And, it only costs $49 through GlobalIPCo or $99 through Iptica. See our provisional patent drafting and filing … Read more
Jun 7th, 2013Try our online patent renewal system. It is safe and simple to use. And, you will save on patent renewal fees. We have designed our renewal system to ensure that you cannot make mistakes: you insert only your patent number. No further information is required; the system displays an image of your patent to confirm … Read more
Jun 6th, 2013Many people overpay for patent annuities. We manage over 1,500 patents worldwide for more than 100 users, offering the most affordable renewal fees to South African patentees. Using our online patent renewal system will save you between 30% and 70% on patent annuities, depending on the country. And, as patents are added to our system, … Read more
Jun 6th, 2013It is simple and affordable to file patent in South Africa. You can file a South African provisional patent through GlobalIPCo for $49 and through Iptica for $99. See our provisional patent drafting and filing guide. Below are a few common “ideas” that fail our patent vetting process:
Jun 4th, 2013Before registering intellectual property for an idea, consider the various forms of intellectual property rights available – patents, designs, trade marks and copyright. In broad stokes, patents protect the underlying concept of how an invention works, whereas designs protect the way an article looks. Consider cell phones: a patent protects the technology that enables users … Read more
Jun 3rd, 2013For a patent to remain enforceable, patent renewals must be paid annually throughout its term. With the term of patents being a lengthy 20 years, many patents are allowed to lapse due to the accumulating effect of high patent renewal costs. But what if the cost of patent renewals could be reduced? A common misconception … Read more
Jun 3rd, 2013Can you patent your idea? The first question we typically ask is: “Can you, without explaining anything about your product or its application, point to a feature that is new?” “New” means that that feature has not previously been described / illustrated in any way anywhere in the world. For example, if you have developed … Read more
Jun 2nd, 2013It only costs $49 to file a provisional patent online in South Africa through GlobalIPCo and only $99 to file it through Iptica. Use our provisional patent drafting and filing guide. In 12 months time, you can file a PCT / international patent application. Following the PCT search report in 16 months time, you may … Read more
May 30th, 2013Fortunately for inventors, the patent registration process in South Africa is one of the simplest, quickest and cheapest in the world. But, start off by doing your homework properly: search through the online patent databases to check that the feature you have invented is in fact new worldwide. Although you can start by filing a … Read more
May 29th, 2013A PCT / International patent is generally filed 12 months after filing your South African provisional patent application. It can cost as little as R34,000 and reserves your right to file patents in nearly all countries of the world for a further 18 months, i.e. a total of 30 months from the date of filing … Read more
May 27th, 2013