Guide to European Patents, 2013 Edition

Authored by a British patent attorney, Guide to European Patents is a practical guide for the American and non-European applicant or patent attorney contemplating filing a European application. It is designed to aid in understanding the current European Patent Convention, EPC 2000, and compares the processes and procedures of the European Patent Office to those in the United States.

Updated annually, the text:

• Advises applicants how to draft applications to meet European requirements and secure the strongest patent rights
• Helps applicants understand European Patent Office procedure so they can make wise decisions during prosecution of the application
• Explains the procedural possibilities open to the applicant during prosecution
• Explains what subject matter is patentable in Europe
• Explains how to draft descriptions, claims, and drawings to ensure successful prosecution before the European Patent Office
• Explains what inventions will be considered to be novel and involve an inventive step
• Explains the procedural possibilities open to the applicant during prosecution