Invention equivalence in Europe
Some people are reluctant to apply for a patent: 'because when I have to describe my invention in every detail, everybody will know how to use it and will find a way of getting round my protection'. Why this opinion is unjustified and why patents have, in general, much greater protection than even the literal scope of the claims, is the topic of the following article. This 'enlargement' is provided by the so-called doctrine of equivalence. Comparison is made between the attitudes and approaches of different European countries, in order, from those with the widest to those with the least protection.
Keywords: CLAIM CONSTRUCTION; EQUIVALENTS; INVENTION; PROTECTION
Document Type: Research Article
Publication date: 01 December 1998
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