Stop that patent!

摘要

Protecting your intellectual property(IP)is important,but you should also be aware of third-party IP rights that may affect your ability to commercialise and/or license your IP.Prior to filing any IP application,we recommend conducting a brief search to identify published material that may be cited during examination('prior art'),but also potentially uncover third-party IP rights that may affect your ability to use and/or market your IP.If a potentially problematic application or granted third-party right is identified,then there are a number of options available.Some options for dealing with pending or granted patents are shown below.The costs,duration and ability to act in relation to these options vary.It is therefore important that you talk to an attorney to make an informed choice regarding your options.