Inventions can be protected by means of patents and utility models which grant the owner an exclusive right to decide who may or may not use the patented invention for the period in which the invention is protected (20 years in the case of patents and 10 in the case of utility models according to current Spanish legislation), as long as the corresponding annuities are paid on time.
MAPA TRADEMARKS provides advice so that the inventions of our clients can get the protection granted by a patent or, depending on the nature of the invention, by a utility model. In order to achieve this goal, we undertake all the necessary steps from filing the application up to the grant, keeping our clients duly informed on the annuities to be paid.
In addition, we have a broad experience on the validation of European Patents in Spain.
We also offer a watch service to inform our clients on the publications appeared on the Spanish Bulletin on Patents and Trademarks (BOPI) related to the technical fields of their interest.
Regarding the international protection of inventions, there are three ways in which MAPA provides services:
- The national route: filing an application in each country.
- The regional route: filing an application before the European Patent Office and, once the patent is granted, it should be validated in the countries of interest.
- The international route: filing an application in the Member States of the PCT (148 countries currently) makes the procedure easier and gives time for the owner to assess the countries of main interest.
Depending on the geographical scope you want to use your invention, we can offer our professional guidance on the most accurate way and manage the whole procedure in order to get protection in the countries in which you want your invention to be exploited.