Patents

The patent is a technical property right which shall be granted after an official examination for all inventions which are new, involve an inventive step and are susceptible of industrial application. The maximum duration of the patent is 20 years from the date of filing.  

Within a period of 12 months from the date of filing the applicant has the possibility  to file further applications outside of Germany (or another country where he has filed the 1st application) claiming the priority of the first application, e.g. national, European or international patent applications. 
 

Utility Models

The Utility Model is a technical property right and is valid, if the claimed invention is new, bases on an inventive step and is susceptible of industrial application. In contrast to a patent application the Utility Model will be registered after formal examination within a few months. The maximum duration of a Utility Model is 10 years.

Analogues  to the patent law the priority right can be claimed in further applications within a period of 12 months after the date of filing the Utility Model application.

Registered Designs

Esthetic form- and/or color-creations in two- or three-dimensional configuration can be registered as a design.

The design can be renewed up to a maximum of 25 years after the filing date.      

Trademarks

The Trademark identifies the own products and services from those of other enterprises and serves as an origin indicator.

There is no maximum duration of the trademark, but the trademark needs to be renewed every 10 years after the filing date of the application.