Abstract

Protection of the results of technical developments is of essential importance to secure the considerable investments taken and to be able to take the economic profits from these results. The tool provided by law and by international treaties is the patent system. However, not all results may be protected by a patent, e.g. in particular not business methods, scientific theories and programs for computers. The nature of a patent as some sort of a monopoly requires strict examination of the conditions for granting, mainly novelty and inventive step. The rules for the proceedings at the respective authorities are complicated and non-observance may result in a loss of rights. The basic structures of that system are briefly discussed with the European Patent System as an example.