About S&Z S&Z files more South African patents for Chinese applicants than any other South African patent law firm. By using the GlobalIPCo patent filing and management system, we are able to: offer the lowest patent filing fee (inclusive of acceptance, grant and courier); file South African patents within minutes of instruction; late-lodge documents without … Read more
May 2nd, 2021Surprisingly, 2020 didn’t see a significant drop in the number of South African provisional patents filed. Although, the South African Patent Office was closed for a few months during lockdown, the decline in provisional patents simply continued its gradual negative trend. Adams & Adams remains the top filer of South African provisional patents, with S&Z … Read more
Mar 11th, 20212020 did not see a major shift in ranking of the top South African patent law firms, with the top 6 firms still accounting for more than 80% of the total patent filings (provisionals, complete patents, convention patents, and national phase patents). Patent firm Patents filed Firm 1 2,134 Firm 2 1,885 Firm 3 676 … Read more
Mar 8th, 2021To file a South African patent is easy with GlobalIPCo.com. All you need is the WO / PCT number. Use WIPO website data to populate the input fields. This takes only a couple of minutes. Download forms for signature. Upload the signed forms and copy of the PCT patent specification (downloaded from the WIPO website) … Read more
Feb 26th, 2021Audi makes great cars. Audi is also really good at recognising that Patents are a powerful marketing tool. Instead of using Patents primarily for Protection, Audi used Patents to Market how technologically innovative its 2006 A6 was. By comparing the total number of patents covering the NASA Space Shuttle to the number of patents in … Read more
Feb 21st, 2021After about two years, GlobalIPCo already has more than 3,500 users and manages more than 6,300 patent, trademark and design applications. GlobalIPCo is a fully automated system for filing and prosecuting South African intellectual property applications to grant. The system enabled S&Z Patent Attorneys (GlobalIPCo’s exclusive South African agents) significantly to increase its efficiency and … Read more
Feb 13th, 2021OPTIONS Traditional option: Email the required information and documents to us, and we will prepare: forms for signature; and the application for filing. Cost: US$585. Online option: Register with GlobalIPCo, complete the application form, download documents for signature and file the application. Filing cost: US$399 (discount available for law firms), Registration cost: US$70, (optional) Courier … Read more
Dec 26th, 2020Protect your App using a combination of Patents, Trademarks and Designs. But because apps typically have a short “life”, patents will not have the effect you expected. App protection using Patents Considering that it will typically take 4 years to secure enforceable patent rights, granted patent rights are seldom used to “protect” apps. Don’t get … Read more
Nov 10th, 2020Yes, general lawyers may file a provisional patent in South Africa, provided they file the application through GlobalIPCo’s provisional patent filing system. Must a patent attorney not lodge the provisional patent application with CIPC? South African patent law permits: an applicant to file his own provisional patent application directly with CIPC; or to lodge the … Read more
Nov 3rd, 2020Many products are marked “Patent Pending”, but what does this mean? The answer isn’t simple, as there are various possible meanings: Meaning 1: The owner intends to secure granted complete patents and enforce his patent rights against copycats The owner has filed a patent application (likely a provisional patent application) with the aim ultimately to … Read more
Oct 27th, 2020These days, restaurants must do something different to attract customers. Just being an “Italian restaurant” with the “best, authentic Italian pizzas” doesn’t cut it. Restaurants must do more. They must intrigue customers to dine. But lure them with what? How about Patents? “Try our Pizza with Patent Pending thin-crisp base” “Taste our Patent Pending truffle-infused … Read more
Oct 20th, 2020Basically, “Patents” are for protection and “Patent Pending Numbers” are for marketing and deterrence. What is the difference between a Patent and a Patent Pending Number? “Patents” are typically complete patents, drafted by a patent attorney and prosecuted to grant in countries in which patent protection is required. Once granted, the Patent is enforceable against … Read more
Oct 13th, 2020If you have an idea, you cannot just send a company an email and offer to sell it to them. First, you need something to sell No-one buys “ideas” or “concepts”. But, companies do buy patents and designs. You must convert your idea to an “asset” that can be sold. Without a patent or design, … Read more
Oct 6th, 2020The cost to prototype your idea depends on the prototype you wish to create. We can assist you to: conceptualise your idea; create a 3D CAD model of your product; create a functional prototype – whether 3D printed or made of sheet metal; generate photorealistic posters showcasing your product; create videos explaining your product; and … Read more
Sep 30th, 2020It is difficult to protect a Business Method using patents. The reason is that Business Methods are specifically excluded from being patented. But, this did not stop Discovery from trying to patent its Vitality concept, Life Insurance and Car Insurance offerings. What Discovery Vitality did was to file a South African provisional patent application for … Read more
Sep 24th, 2020