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What Our Customers Say...

Albright IP Limited
4.9
Based on 90 reviews
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Emily Warwick
Emily Warwick
14:56 27 Jul 22
My experience with Albright IP has been flawless from start to finish. I... have never filed a patent before so I was learning everything as I went along. They have been helpful in every way possible and gone the extra mile to ensure I was kept in the loop and happy as everything was going through each step of the way. I cannot express enough how pleased I am with their service. I had the pleasure of working with Will, Abigail, and Adrian. I would recommend Albright IP to anyone looking to file a patent application.read more
Simon Mills
Simon Mills
13:22 06 Jul 22
Super helpful advice, and really friendly service. Highly recommend... Albright for IP advice and services.read more
Luke D.
Luke D.
11:25 23 May 22
Was a pleasure to work with Will and Melissa on a patent draft and filing.... Will took the time to understand both my software product and the commercial motivations behind the patent filing. They were extremely responsive to questions and clarifications throughout the process (availability isn't everything, but it certainly helps!).They were also very clear regarding fees, and set out a very helpful visual timeline and cost breakdown on the whole patent application process at the pre-sales stage. This emphasis on making sure I understood all aspects of the work, and having documentation to help with that, is something I didn't see with any of the other patent services I was talking to at the time. This clear communication continued throughout our interactions.Would recommend Albright IP to anyone looking to patent an invention. The patent they filed for me was for a software invention.read more
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Helpful Tips

Do I have to identify the designer?
It is possible to waive the name of the designer when filing a European Community Design, but you should be sure that you have the rights to the design

PATENT FAQS

Business Methods, Software and Games – can I get a patent for any of these?

Common queries along these lines include:

  • I have a method of doing business (i.e. creating or improving upon a revenue stream);
  • I have a website with an improved interface or user-experience; and
  • I have developed a new app or game that I want to stop others copying.

In the UK and Europe, the short answer unfortunately is “Probably not. We can certainly try, but it is likely to be expensive.” These three items are generally excluded from patent protection by the UK Patents Act and also under the European Patents Convention.

In the USA, the patent laws are somewhat more liberal, and therefore it is possible that, if the idea is sufficiently unique and inventive, then US patent protection can be secured. Please contact us for further advice.

I have a British patent application with 21 claims. How can I reduce the European filing costs?

You should aim to have no more than 15 claims in your application. Significant extra fees are charged by the European Patent Office (EPO) for each claim over 15. Therefore, if possible, slim your claims down.

Is there any advice for reducing examination costs of a European patent application?

If you have a priority patent application, such as a British patent application, then consider amending the claims prior to filing the European patent application to make them as novel and inventive as possible. This will help reduce prosecution costs.

I have an international PCT patent application. I’ve converted it to a national US patent application. Can I defer the conversion to a European regional phase application to conserve costs?

If filing a European patent application from an international PCT patent application, you have until 31 months from priority to do so. This is longer than the usual 30 months which applies to many countries, including the USA. Note that whilst you can defer the conversion for one extra month, converting your application after this will incur large surcharges.

Are there any other ways to reduce European prosecution costs?

Amend the text of the claims to include the reference number of each element. This will help to reduce prosecution costs.