Services

© Grit Hildebrandt, TUD

PIZ offers a comprehensive range of services in the field of intellectual property rights to companies, startups, universities, colleges and technical schools, research institutions, patent law firms, and anyone who wants to securely bring their ideas and innovations into the future. Intellectual property searches should be an integral part of the research process.

Regularly comparing one’s own research and development work with international developments also makes it possible to plan inventions in a targeted manner and build patent portfolios.

At search workstations, users can conduct their own searches across all types of intellectual property rights (patents, utility models, trademarks, and designs) with the support of search experts. We assist users with the preparatory work and provide guidance throughout the entire search process.

© Martina Trassl

As an alternative to on-site searches, searches can also be conducted via remote access (remote support). Our users then see a window on their own computer displaying the intellectual property database hosted on a PIZ computer and can thus receive guidance throughout the entire search process. Commercial databases with international coverage are available for all types of intellectual property rights.

You can also submit requests for research or monitoring to the PIZ. Please use our request form. We provide quotes that vary in scope depending on the time frame and geographic area. Searchers with engineering backgrounds and expertise in various technical fields conduct the search. As a result, you will receive a detailed search report containing relevant documents grouped by relevance and accompanied by commentary.

© Grit Hildebrandt, TUD

The PIZ Dresden is a receiving office for the priority-securing filing of intellectual property rights arising from German, European, and international patent applications; German utility model applications, including divisional applications; and German trademark and design applications.

© PAK

Every other Thursday between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., questions regarding industrial property rights (patents, utility models, trademarks, designs) and copyright law can be addressed during a free, half-hour initial consultation with a patent attorney. This service is offered in cooperation with the Chamber of Patent Attorneys and the Dresden Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK). Consultations take place on-site at the PIZ. Registration is required (Phone: 0351 463-35540/ Email: piz@tu-dresden.de).

The free initial consultation for inventors, provided by patent attorneys from the Dresden region, is available to anyone interested. This is a case-by-case legal consultation that focuses exclusively on questions regarding industrial property rights under copyright law. Ideally, all general questions should be clarified in advance with PIZ staff. The initial consultation for inventors should be considered a supplementary service that follows a series of services offered by the PIZ (initial information, in-house or commissioned searches, and seminars).

Content and Procedure of Initial Inventor Consultations

• Initial consultations should primarily focus on patents and utility models. In addition, consultations on trademarks, designs, and copyright protection are available.
• The focus is explicitly on initial consultation.
• As a rule, it cannot constitute a final consultation.
• Due to liability issues and limited consultation time, questions directed to the patent attorney (PA) must be restricted exclusively to infringements under copyright law.
• The consultation should fully cover everything that would otherwise be provided by a patent attorney at the firm for a fee during the same time period.
• At the beginning of the consultation, the PA may hand or send their business card to the client to introduce themselves; however, the primary goal of the consultation is not to initiate a client relationship.
• The PA’s focus should be on non-commercial interests.

Organizational Guidelines for Initial Inventor Consultations

• Consultations take place on-site at the agreed-upon time on Thursdays
• No alternative appointments at patent attorney firms

Recommendations of patent attorneys’ services by the PIZe

The PIZ itself does not recommend any patent attorneys but can only pass on recommendations from the Patent Attorneys’ Chamber.

The German Chamber of Patent Attorneys maintains an internal database organized by unit.

• If interested in a recommendation for a patent attorney with the appropriate expertise, PIZ clients can contact the Chamber of Patent Attorneys directly via email (DPAK@patentanwalt.de). If necessary, the PIZ can also make the inquiry on the client’s behalf.
• The client—or, optionally, the PIZ—will receive a list of several qualified patent attorneys in their region via email shortly thereafter, usually within a week.

© RAK

You can also use the Saxony Bar Association’s lawyer search tool to find a suitable professional to consult if you have further questions regarding trademarks or intellectual property rights.

When conducting your search, please select “Specialist Attorney for Intellectual Property Law” as a filter!

A key component of our service offerings is the organization and conduct of continuing education events. Topics include an introduction to copyright law, as well as the theory and practice of conducting searches, search strategies, and the use of copyright law databases.