Design Searches
Map the existing industrial designs on specific markets
With design searches we can check:
- if you do not infringe on other industrial rights upon entering the market;
- activities of your competitors, monitor their new filings and thus reveal their future plans;
- the risks of similarity with another product protected with an industrial design.
The search may be also advantageous if a competitor confronts you due to infringement of their rights, in case you receive a restraining or pre-suit notice.
Design searches are the searches in databases of industrial designs that protect a unique product design. With an industrial design you may prevent others from using the same design. However, owning an industrial design does not automatically mean that a similar design has not been already protected by someone else.
Search types
Freedom to Operate Search (FTO)
This search serves to examine the existing rights in the particular territory in order to reduce a risk of their infringement.
- Before initiating the search, we need to be familiar with the product appearance and to know when/if it has been already published.
- If we encounter a registered industrial design presenting a possible risk during the search, we will help you to modify your product in order to avoid collision.
The search outcome is a list of found industrial designs, risk evaluation and recommendation for further action.
Over 1 million industrial designs has been already registered in the Czech Republic, protecting all possible types of products.
The search can thus be quite time demanding; the more information you provide the better we can focus our search.
Overview of Competition Rights Search
Due to the massive number of valid industrial designs, it would be inefficient to perform a comprehensive search for certain types of products.
On the contrary, it may also happen that your sector is quite narrow and you know all your direct competitors.
The outcome of the search for the overview of competition rights might be:
- Freedom to Operate – when you want to investigate if specific companies cannot prevent you from doing business based on their registered industrial designs
- Portfolio overview – when you want to find out what your competition is protecting and how. This search can be performed periodically so that you are aware of the plans of your competition well before introducting the product to the market.
Design similarity analysis
Are you aware of an industrial design that could mean complications for your bussiness?
We can conduct an analysis to determine the degree of similarity and risk.
In case the risk of a dispute is too high, we help you redesign your product or choose another suitable strategy for entering the market and expanding.
Enter the market as smoothly as possible
We’ll help you to enter the market so that your products do not interfere with the rights of competitors and at the same time stay protected from imitators.
Additional information
What do we need from you?
- Appearance of the design, which will be the subject of a search
- List of relevant states (resp. territories) for the search
What are the costs?
The costs of a search depend on:
- the size of the searched market
- design complexity
This affects the time required for a search. The costs thus have to be determined case by case and you will be provided with an estimate before initiating our cooperation based on the provided information and the above-mentioned criteria.
Send us a non-binding inquiryHow does our cooperation work?
First – we meet
online or in person and discuss your ambitions regarding the product
Then – cost estimate
Based on the size of the searched market, design complexity and other information, we’ll send you a cost estimate.
Starting the search
in the selected territory in all databases and registers.
Search outcome & comments
We’ll send you an overview with the search outcome. Our specialists on brand and design protection will add their commentary with recommendations for further action.