パテント探偵社 編集部

Patent claims define the legal boundaries of patent protection. This article explains independent and dependent claim structures, the doctrine of equivalents, literal versus equivalent infringement, and the relationship between claims and the patent specification.

Patent prosecution moves through filing, publication, examination request, substantive examination, office actions, and either grant or rejection. This guide walks through each step with official timelines, costs, and a comparison of Japan, US, and European procedures.

Novelty and inventive step (non-obviousness) are the two most-litigated patentability requirements. This article explains their legal definitions under Japanese, US, and European law, and how they are argued in examination, opposition, and invalidity proceedings.

Patents, trademarks, copyrights, and design rights each protect different aspects of innovation. Using the smartphone as a case study, this guide explains what each right covers, how long it lasts, and how all four can apply to a single product.

A patent grants inventors a legally enforceable monopoly in exchange for public disclosure of their invention. This guide covers the legal definition, 20-year term, patentability requirements, prosecution process, and the real limits of patent rights.