Don't Forget The Utility Model

Inventors often (hopefully always) look at ways to protect their inventions to gain the most benefit for them. The first ports of call are invariably patent, design and copyright protection along with trade mark protection. In many cases, the inventor considers or is advised that their invention is not capable of protection by a patent, which usually ends in them commercialising the invention without protection thereby effectively donating it to the public. Even where PCT International Patent Applications are filed, inventors are often not aware of the option of filing a utility model based on the PCT application. To the detriment of the inventor, utility models are often overlooked or not considered at all and possible protection is lost as a result.