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Basic concepts

 

The regulations in force provide for different industrial property titles to protect an invention, which guarantee the holder an exclusive right to prevent third parties from exploiting his or her invention in exchange for the disclosure of the invention.

 

Depending on the type of invention and the duration of protection, you can apply for:

 

  • Patent: lasts for 20 years and protects inventions consisting of devices, products and processes
  • Utility model: has a duration of 10 years and protects inventions consisting of devices and products
  • Supplementary protection certificate: extends the protection of a patent on a pharmaceutical or phytosanitary product for up to 5 years
  • Topography of a semiconductor product: has a lifetime of 10 years and protects an electronic integrated circuit