Ask the patent attorney. Get feedback from several patent attorneys.

No, our service is completely free for you as an inventor. Costs only arise when you start working with a patent attorney. The patent attorneys will inform you individually about these costs.

First of all, we want to make clear: the invention disclosure doesn't necessarily have to be about the technical details or the absolute core of your innovation right away. Of course, this information helps a patent attorney give more well-founded feedback. In the first step, however, the context around your invention is at least as important.

So that you don't have to worry about your idea when using our platform, we have formed a partnership with CERTELO. With CERTELO, you can create an irrefutable proof of priority before you give us details. This gives you legally sound proof that the idea was already in your possession before you used Patai. This proof of existence does not replace a patent under any circumstances. It serves as additional evidence in court should the worst come to the worst.

The concept was first considered by WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) back in 2020 but never realised in this form. CERTELO has now implemented this project, and we want to offer you this service so that you feel safe when talking about your ideas and inventions on our platform.

There are many ways to protect an invention, and a patent is not always the best solution. That's why you should talk to a patent specialist about your situation and your invention. Our tool guides you through all the questions relevant to an initial assessment. The more information the patent attorney receives, the more helpful the feedback can be.

All patent attorneys in our network are licensed and have proven experience in their respective fields. We verify qualifications and references before admitting them. You can verify the admissions of all patent attorneys through the official registers. Here you will find the register of authorised representatives of the European Patent Office.

Our goal is to give you feedback within 48 hours. However, this also depends on the technical field of the invention and the scope of your invention disclosure. If you haven't received feedback within a week, please contact support@patai.ch.

Yes, your inventions are safe with us. Your data is not used to train AI models and is not publicly accessible. In addition, we only give licensed patent attorneys access to your invention disclosures.

Context: It is indeed very important that your inventions are not published before they have been submitted to the patent office for examination. Here is a brief explanation: Whether in Switzerland (Art. 1 of the Swiss Patents Act), in Germany (Section 1 of the German Patent Act) or at the European Patent Office (Art. 52 EPC), an invention is only patentable if it meets three criteria:

1. Novelty 2. Inventive step 3. Industrial applicability

After your patent has been filed, patent examiners review the patentability of the invention. To do so, they draw on all publicly available sources. So if the examiner finds patents or products that already conflict with the claims of your invention, your patent will not be granted.

For this reason, it is also always important to conduct extensive research before filing a patent application. The patent attorney will charge you regardless of whether the patent is ultimately granted.

Should I have my invention patented?

Not every invention is worth patenting. While patents can offer valuable monopolies, they are often expensive and time-consuming. Ask yourself these five important questions before filing a patent application:

1. Can you make money with the patent? Will you sell a product protected by the patent? Are there potential licensees or buyers? Without a clear commercial strategy, a patent may not be worthwhile.

2. Do you have the financial means for the entire patent process? A patent can cost several thousand CHF/EUR. Think about how you want to cover the costs of the patent. If you cannot bear the costs privately, there are funding programmes that support this.

3. Do you expect at least 5 million CHF/EUR in revenue? This question is only relevant if you want to go to court to defend your claims. This can vary depending on your strategy. Enforcing a patent through litigation can run into the millions. If your product doesn't justify this revenue, a patent may not be advantageous.

4. What will you do if someone infringes your patent? Are you willing to offer licences, negotiate or take legal action?

5. Can you protect your invention as a trade secret instead? Can you keep the technology secret and still benefit from it? If competitors can easily imitate your invention, a patent may be the better choice.

There are many other reasons to file a patent application. It's best to put these questions directly to our patent attorneys. They will definitely be able to help you.

There are no measurable criteria that could indicate the quality of a patent attorney. However, there are criteria you should pay attention to when selecting an attorney.

1. Technical and legal competence: A qualified patent attorney combines technical training (e.g. as an engineer or scientist) with legal expertise. This allows them to understand your invention while professionally implementing the legal requirements.

2. Transparency on costs: Ask for a detailed cost estimate and have the fee structure explained. A professional attorney provides open, clear information about the costs involved, so you can better plan your expenses.

3. Good working relationship: A long-term collaboration requires a good rapport. Choose an attorney who is accessible, communicative and willing to answer your questions comprehensively.

4. Commitment and availability: Make sure the attorney is flexible in terms of time and fully committed to successfully filing your patent.

5. Business know-how: It's important to understand that a patent is not usually your business in itself. However, it can be a valuable component of your business. A patent attorney should always have your business in mind and help you create value for it with the patent. It's important to have an attorney who is interested in your business plan and doesn't just write applications.

The rapid development of AI models has a major influence on the work of lawyers and especially patent attorneys. More and more AI tools are coming to market that promise over 50% faster patent drafting.

Some patent attorneys already use these tools, while others do not. This means that the already large price difference between patent attorneys can become even larger.

There are law firms that promise the highest quality and charge three to four times as much as others. However, the quality of a patent drafted by a professional patent attorney cannot be assessed so easily, which is why it is difficult to justify a correspondingly high price based solely on supposedly better quality.

In addition to price transparency, our tool gives you an impression of the patent attorneys. The answers to your questions can vary greatly, and you will automatically be able to weigh up which patent attorney appeals to you most. You can also contact us at any time if you want a neutral assessment. We are happy to support you.

The costs for a patent consist of numerous fees. Here is a table of the fees. The patent attorney will also be able to help you further.

The costs for the attorney depend on the complexity of your case and the attorney's hourly rate. The more efficiently you work with the attorney, the fewer hours will be billed to you.

Drafting a patent takes the patent attorney approximately 10-20 hours. At an hourly rate of 200-400 €/CHF, you can therefore expect attorney costs of 2,000-8,000 €/CHF, with 8,000 already at the very high end.