Novelty is not quantified - it is either present or it is not. We will help you perform novelty searches of your inventions.
The European Patent Convention operates with absolute global novelty which means that novelty is destroyed by any form of communication that may have made the invention known to an undefined group of persons.
In Europe, absolute global novelty will therefore be destroyed by e.g.:
- Publication of an article
- Handing out an abstract
- A speech before a group of persons (if the group is not bound to a secrecy agreement)
- Scientific posters
- Exhibits
- Showing or discussing the invention
- Sale
- Keeping the invention in such a way that it is available for others
- Newspaper articles
- Radio or TV programmes
- Publication on the Internet
- Publication of an exam project
But novelty is not destroyed by e.g.:
- Discussions within your own company and research group
- Mention of the invention under a secrecy agreement
- Showing the invention under a secrecy agreement
- Submission of a confidential manuscript
- Submission of a confidential application for financial support
- Confidential conversations with advisers
We perform novelty searches by searching various databases, both electronically and manually, to identify prior publications of similar and ultimately identical technology.
Based on the result of the novelty search, we perform a patentability assessment. The patentability assessment evaluates whether the invention in question is novel and furthermore whether the invention is non-obvious to a person skilled in the art of the technology. Based on our experience and knowledge of case law in major jurisdictions, e.g. Europe and USA, we can conclude if an application covering the invention will result in a patent.
Contact our qualified patent attorneys for more information on novelty searches and patentability criteria or fill out this contact form with your enquiry and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
