Patent Filing, Industrial Design or Utility Model Filing in the UAE

For your invention to qualify for a patent, it must meet one of the following criteria:

• Machinery and Mechanics: Your invention must contain components that move such as clockwork in a watch or car engines.
• Articles of manufacture: Immobile but useful components of an object such as bolts, screws and clips.
• Processes & Methodology: Products or objects that adhere to pre-programmed functions such as the code in a software or a company’s trade secret handbook.
• Man-made chemical compositions and compounds such as pharmaceuticals, alternative health products or cleaning detergents.

For your invention to qualify for design or Utility Model, it must meet the following criteria:

• Your design must be an inseparable part of your product. For example, a unique shape of a bottle would qualify for protection. The contents of the bottle however, will not qualify.
• The design in question is of purely ornamental nature and does not serve any functional purposes.

A design patent is protection that applies to a product’s aesthetic look and feel. It should not serve a functional purpose and must be purely ornamental.

A utility patent on the other hand, applies protection to a product’s functional capabilities, rather than it’s physical features.
Good To Know: Industrial Designs are also known as Design Patents.

It is crucial that you submit your Patent, Industrial Design or Utility Model for filing as soon as your final prototype is complete. Why? If your invention is indeed one of a kind, your local patent office will swiftly grant you ownership.

Yes you can. As long as your invention fits your local patent office registration criteria.

Patent, Industrial design or Utility Model annuities are annual fees that are paid to your local patent office. They are also known as patent renewal or maintenance fees.

Failure to pay annuities before the predetermined deadline will revoke your ability to enjoy the rights accruable from the Patent, Industrial Design or Utility Model protection.

Patent, Industrial design or Utility Model recordals refer to an official record of all amendments made to your application such as change of ownership, changes in name and/or address of owner or license availability.

A patent search confirms if your invention is indeed unique and aids in guaranteeing the chances of your invention’s patentability.

A patent draft is the core of your Patent, Industrial Design or Utility Model application. It is the process of documenting and describing your patent’s specific technical functionalities.

Patent, Industrial Design or Utility Model infringement refers to the unauthorised use of a patented invention, product or object.