[ German patent ]
The most important reason for applying for a patent is to obtain protection against imitation and in this way to secure a lead on the market. A patent gives the proprietor the right for a maximum of 20 years to monopolise the manufacture, use and marketing of the “protected subject matter” – which is his well-deserved reward for his creativity and investment.
The patent – and this is a decisive advantage – is an examined intellectual property right: the invention must be “new”, involve an “inventive step” and be “susceptible of industrial application”. These requirements are examined thoroughly by the German Patent and Trade Mark Office in Munich – which is why the patent is highly respected.
