Patent and design searching

Pre-filing searches for patents and designs provide an indication of the prospects of obtaining meaningful IP protection for your invention or brand.

Freedom to operate searches reduce the risk of infringing the IP rights of others, by identifying your competitors’ pre-existing rights.

Such searches enable you to make an informed decision about whether to proceed with a proposed brand or invention.

With BRM you can be the first ‘in the know’

BRM Patent Attorneys can advise on the type of search that suits your business and conduct these searches for you. Our patent attorneys are experienced IP searchers, and have access to advanced databases and software packages which enable them to conduct comprehensive searches of patents and designs.

Why are pre-filing searches important?

Forewarned is forearmed

A pre-filing patent search (aka patent novelty search) gives you an indication of the patentability of your invention before committing further funds to the invention and/or to a patent application. Also, the search results provide guidance when preparing the wording of a patent application. Thus a pre-filing patent search can lead to lower overall costs and a better patent position.

Why are Freedom to Operate searches so important?

Prevention is better than cure

Freedom to operate searches (aka clearance searches) help avoid costly and commercially damaging IP disputes from arising after you release a new product.

Disputes resulting from one business infringing the prior IP rights of another are a wasted investment in both time and financial resources.

Where infringement of a patent or design is proven, the infringing business can often be forced to withdraw and destroy its current stock, as well as be held liable for court-awarded monetary damages.

In the case of trade mark registrations, a business may be forced to change its brand name, resulting in loss of any brand value, loyalty or reputation associated with that name, as well as the associated financial cost of rebranding.

Our experienced patent attorneys take an individualised approach to cost-effectively minimise the risks. We tailor intellectual property search strategies to your business so you can stay one step ahead.