Site search
Search current area only
Advanced search
Patent search
Advanced patent search
Deutsch
English
Français
Contact
About us
European Patent Organisation
The Office
Boards of appeal
Jobs
Tenders
Statistics
Service & support
Website updates
FAQ
Online services and software
Publications
Ordering
Forms
Useful links
Contact us
Forums
Glossary
RSS feeds
Home
Searching for patents
Free online services
Espacenet - patent search
European patent register
Register Alert
Third-party observations
European publication server
European Patent Bulletin
Open Patent Services
EBD
IPscore
European patent applications and specifications
Common Citation Document
Subscription products
Patent information services for experts
MIMOSA software
Global patent index (GPI)
Contact
European patent bulletin
ESPACE EP
PATSTAT online (Beta)
ESPACE national collections
ESPACE LEGAL
Official Journal on DVD
Discontinued products
Production timetable
Raw data products and test data
Download data
Special search programme
Asian patent information
Search services
Translation services
China (CN)
Chinese Taipei (TW)
India (IN)
Japan (JP)
Korea (KR)
Patent trends
Updates
Useful links
Patent information centres
About patent information centres
Services
Pilot project
Directory
EPO support for PATLIB centres
FAQ
Essentials
About patent information
Basic definitions
Patent families
Patent classification
Business use
Information on EPO data
Data
Data sets
Applications
Policies and licences
About EPO data
Applying for a patent
European route
Guide for applicants
Filing options
Oppositions
National validation
Appeals
International route
Guide for applicants
Filing options
Decisions and notices
PCT provisions and resources
National route
Online services
Find a professional representative
Online filing
My files
Online fee payment
Mailbox
Administration
Calendar of oral proceedings
Release schedule
Security
Forms and fees
European (EPC) forms
European (EPC) fees
International (PCT) fees
Making payments
Patent basics
Law & practice
Legal texts
European Patent Convention
Official Journal
Guidelines for Examination
London Agreement
National law relating to the EPC
Ancillary regulations to the EPC
Archive
Legislative initiatives
Unitary patent / EU patent
European Patent Litigation Agreement
Organisational autonomy of the boards of appeal
User consultations
Case law & appeals
Basic search - board of appeal decisions database
Advanced search - board of appeal decisions database
Recent decisions
Enlarged Board of Appeal
Case Law of the Boards of Appeal
Business distribution scheme
Case Law from the Contracting States to the EPC
News & issues
News
Archive
Patenting issues
Unitary patent / EU patent
International Year of Chemistry
Scenarios for the future
Co-operation with the EU
Clean energy
Computer programs
Biotechnology
Machine translation
Patent quality
Classification
Films
EPO film
European Inventor Award 2011
European Inventor Award 2010
European Inventor of the Year 2009
European Inventor of the Year 2008
Patents and clean energy launch
European Inventor Award
About the award
About the event
Nominees and winners
Press
Past events
Books by EPO authors
EPO in social media
Press
Speeches
Contact
Press releases
Fact sheets
Photos
Call back
Blog
Learning & events
Events and classroom training
Conferences and key events
The EPO at trade fairs
Search all events
Training
Online training
Select a module
European qualifying examination
About the EQE
Admission and enrolment
Training for the EQE
Compendium (past papers, examiner reports)
Results and statistics
Successful candidates
FAQ
Archive
Materials
EQE study guide
Inventors' handbook
Patent teaching kit
ip4inno
Patent Litigation in Europe
Home
Learning & events
Materials
Inventors' handbook
Seven deadly sins of the inventor
EQE study guide
Inventors' handbook
Introduction
Disclosure and confidentiality
Novelty and prior art
Competition and market potential
Assessing the risk ahead
Proving the invention
Protecting your idea
Building a team and seeking funding
Business planning
Finding and approaching companies
Dealing with companies
Seven deadly sins of the inventor
Patent teaching kit
ip4inno
Patent Litigation in Europe
Print
Seven deadly sins of the inventor
1. The invention is more complex than the problem merits.
2. The invention is not kept secret until the date of filing.
3. The invention isn't new.
4. The inventor hasn't fully considered the problem.
5. No-one wants it.
6. An invention is safer if it's kept secret.
7. The inventor has an unrealistic idea of the value of his invention.
Quick Navigation
Homepage [Alt] + 0
Skip navigation [Alt] + 1
Sitemap [Alt] + 8
Accessibility information [Alt] + 9
Sitemap
Accessibility
Terms of use
Legal notice
Security
Last updated: 28.7.2008