Patent

Patent

    The patent is for the purpose of protecting the invention. The result of the patent procedure is a decision to grant a patent or to refuse a patent. The Patent Office of the Republic of Bulgaria and the applicant are parties to the patent procedure. Where there are several applicants, the refusal of one or more of them shall not prevent the other applicants from being in the application procedure or in the application. An invention that has been created under an employment relationship may be the property of the employer, provided that it has submitted an application within 3 months of receiving notification from the inventor of the invention. Both the employer and the inventor have the right to apply if this is agreed in advance in a contract. The first step in the patent procedure is to file an application with the Registry of the Patent Office of the Republic of Bulgaria. The application shall also be accompanied by a description of the invention, one or more claims, if drawings are needed to illustrate the invention, abstract, declaration and if there are claims for priority - priority certificate. The abstract is a brief summary of the invention. All these documents must be in Bulgarian. The date of their receipt at the Patent Office shall be considered as the date of filing of the application. A power of attorney is required if the application is submitted through an industrial property representative. Of course, fees are payable on application or within 3 months from the date of receipt of the notification of payment. If there are irregularities in the patent application, the applicant has the opportunity to remove them within 3 months. If the applicant does not respond or does not correct the irregularities, the proceedings shall be terminated. Discoveries, scientific theories and mathematical methods, results of artistic creativity, presentation of information, games, computer programs, methods of intellectual activity are not accepted as inventions. Provided that the claimed invention is patentable, the applicant is informed of the fees to be paid. After they have been paid, the expert's department decides whether to grant a patent. But if they decide that the invention is not patentable, they notify the applicant. Within 3 months he must respond or correct the request. If this deadline is not respected, a decision is made to refuse to grant a patent. The patent is valid for 20 years and patent fees are paid for each year.