Protecting your patent abroad

Summary:

The document provides guidance on protecting patents outside of the UK. A granted UK patent only provides protection in the UK and does not extend to other countries. To obtain protection abroad, it is necessary to apply separately in each country. The European Patent Convention (EPC) allows for a single application to be filed with the European Patent Office (EPO), which is then processed as a single application and subsequently becomes separate patents in individual countries. The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) is another option, which allows for a single application to be filed and then processed separately in each country. The document provides information on the process of filing a PCT application, including the option to file electronically, and outlines the benefits of using the PCT system, including a single international search report and the ability to claim priority from an existing patent application.