Top 10 Patent Websites
#1 Top patent website – Licensing, Tax & Exchange Controls
The S&Z website provides useful information regarding:
- intellectual property commercialisation (incl. patent and trademark licensing / sale);
- relevant South African tax provisions;
- relevant South African exchange control provisions;
- how to negotiate a patent licence;
- intellectual property royalty rates; and
- how to value patents and trademarks.
S&Z also operates TM Direct – an online trademark filing system that enables South African general attorneys to file trademarks.
#2 Top patent website – Software Apps
Iptica’s Register Software website provides:
- information regarding how to patent a software app globally;
- examples of what Uber, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Waze, Tinder and Lyft patented;
- tips on trademark and design registering software names and icons; and
- a discussion on protecting your app using copyright.
The website also includes a simple online software provisional patent filing tool for only $99. See our easy provisional patent drafting and filing guide.
#3 Top patent website – New Clothing Line
The Register Clothing Brand website provides:
- tips on how to protect your new clothing line;
- examples of what Prada, File, Puma, Nike, Croc, Patagonia, Helly Hansen; and North Face patented;
- information on trademark registering your clothing brand; and
- advice on using design registrations to protect the shape of your upcoming clothing range. and
#4 Top patent website – Food or Drink Recipe
The Register Recipe website provides:
- examples of what Aero, Jelly Bean, Eskimo Pie, Rolo, LifeSaver, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes and Tabasco patented;
- tips on food labelling; and
- advice on using copyright and confidentiality undertakings to protect food and drink recipes.
#5 Top patent website – Board Game
The Register Board Game website provides:
- examples of what Monopoly, Risk, Battleships, Cluedo, Scrabble, Twister and Pictionary patented;
- tips on protecting your cards and playing pieces using design registrations; and
- advice regarding prototyping your board game.
#6 Top patent website – SA Patent Law
The IdeaNav website provides free information regarding:
- how to conduct a patent search;
- how to draft a confidentiality undertaking (with template NDAs);
- how to prototype your invention;
- South African patents, trademarks and designs (including a DIY provisional patent toolkit;
- how to fund development and commercialisation of your invention; and
- licensing your intellectual property (including a licensing term sheet to facilitate licensing negotiations).
This website also includes an online patent, trademark and design renewal system that reduces the cost of renewing your South African patents, trademarks and designs by about 70%.
S&Z / IdeaNav is the #2 South African patent law firm for filing provisional patents.
#7 Top patent website – PCT National Phase Patent (South Africa)
The South African National Phase Patent website provides:
- information regarding filing, prosecution and renewal of South African national phase patents;
- an online DIY system for filing South African national phase patents for $399; and
- free extension of the 31 month filing deadline to 34 months.
#8 Top patent website – Using Patents for Marketing
The Patent Pending Number website provides:
- tips on using Patent Pending Numbers for marketing & deterrence; and
- examples of how Audi, Pantene, Brush-T and Levi’s used Patent Pending Numbers for marketing purposes.
#9 Top patent website – Custom Confidentiality Agreement
The SuperNDA website provides:
- commentary on clauses in confidentiality agreements;
- free customisable NDAs in pdf format;
- SuperNDAs, which overlap a customisable NDA (including restraint clauses) with a provisional patent application for only $99;
- answers to FAQs relating to confidentiality undertakings; and
- tips on checking that your idea is in fact “new”.
#10 Top patent website – Design Patents
The 3D Copyright website provides:
- information regarding protecting the shape of your new product using Design Registrations;
- an online design filing tool for filing South African design registrations using a cellphone for only $299; and
- examples of Design Registrations that have been filed using photos.
