佐野国際特許事務所　 List of Products and Services

This book is a perfect guide for legal, tax, and labor matters, supporting the understanding of essential information and problem-solving by seven experts in various fields (patent attorneys, lawyers, judicial scriveners, administrative scriveners, certified public accountants, tax accountants, and social insurance labor consultants) at each stage from the launch of a business to the preparation for a new listing. Our office is responsible for the content in the field of legal affairs (intellectual property) within this book. It contains all the necessary information for those looking to start a startup company, and we would be grateful if you could take a look. [Contents] ■ Pre-seed stage (before company establishment) ■ Seed stage (just before or immediately after company establishment) ■ Early stage (immediately after company establishment) ■ Early stage (company growth phase) ■ New TOPIC *For more details, please refer to the related links or feel free to contact us.

• Patent/Copyright related services

We would like to introduce our office's "Support for Venture Companies." We provide advice on how to protect your products and other assets with intellectual property, and we send patent liaison personnel to strengthen your company's intellectual property relations. Additionally, we offer advice from an intellectual property perspective to help you develop your business advantageously, and by understanding your internal circumstances, we provide accurate advice regarding intellectual property and related matters. 【Features】 ■ Advice on how to protect products and other assets with intellectual property ■ Sending patent liaison personnel to strengthen your company's intellectual property relations ■ Advice from an intellectual property perspective to help you develop your business advantageously ■ Providing accurate advice regarding intellectual property and related matters by understanding internal circumstances *For more details, please refer to the related links or feel free to contact us. 【Free Consultation for the First 30 Minutes Available】 Your inquiries will be handled directly by the responsible patent attorney. We will accommodate your preferred method of communication, whether by phone, email, web conference, or in-person meeting (within Chuo Ward). Please note that the meeting time will be approximately 30 minutes.

• Other services

We would like to introduce our "Trademark Matching Service" offered by Sano International Patent Office. By simply registering what you want to sell and applying for what you want to buy, you can easily conduct trademark transactions with a straightforward process. Additionally, after the transaction is completed, we will handle the transfer registration procedures at our office. We take care of all the complicated procedures from mediation to transfer, so please feel free to let us know. 【Features】 ■ Easy trademark transactions with a simple process ■ Transfer registration procedures will be carried out at our office after the transaction is completed ■ We handle all the complicated procedures from mediation to transfer *For more details, please refer to the related links or feel free to contact us.

• Patent/Copyright related services

At our firm, we effectively utilize intellectual property such as patents and utility models to protect your products more effectively and to develop your business advantageously. For a particular product, we protect its technical features with patents and its design features with design rights, thereby providing multifaceted protection for a single product through multiple forms of intellectual property. This "comprehensive intellectual property strategy" prevents similar products from entering the market, allowing for exclusive business development. 【Features】 ■ Effectively utilize intellectual property such as patents, utility models, designs, and trademarks ■ Provide multifaceted protection for a single product through multiple forms of intellectual property ■ Prevent similar products from entering the market, enabling exclusive business development *For more details, please refer to the related links or feel free to contact us.

• Other services

There is a law called the Patent Law within the Intellectual Property Rights Law. This Patent Law does not provide a definition of "patent," and it is unclear whether the term "patent" generally refers to an invention, an invention that has been patented, or the patent rights themselves. The purpose of this law is to encourage inventions by protecting and utilizing them, thereby contributing to the development of industry (Article 1 of the Patent Law). *For more detailed information, you can view it through the related links. Please feel free to contact us for more details.*

• Patent/Copyright related services

In addition to patent law, there is a law called the Utility Model Act within intellectual property rights law. This Utility Model Act does not provide a definition of "utility model" similar to that of patents, and it is unclear whether the term "utility model" generally refers to an invention, an invention that has received utility model registration, or the utility model rights themselves. The purpose of this law is to encourage inventions related to the shape, structure, or combination of goods by protecting and utilizing them, thereby contributing to the development of industry (Article 1 of the Utility Model Act). *For more detailed information, please refer to the related links. Feel free to contact us for further inquiries.*

• Patent/Copyright related services

At Sano International Patent Office, we can provide a wide range of consulting services related to intellectual property tailored to each company based on our many years of experience. For example, we can offer consulting on what to pay attention to regarding intellectual property when developing a product, or advice on what to do if you receive a warning about patent infringement from another company. Please feel free to contact us when you need our services. 【Business Activities】 ■ Domestic rights acquisition services for inventions, utility models, designs, and trademarks ■ Foreign rights acquisition services for inventions, utility models, designs, and trademarks ■ Research services for patents, utility models, designs, and trademarks ■ Response to intellectual property rights infringements ■ Appraisal services for patents, etc. ■ Dispatch of patent liaison personnel *For more details, please refer to the related links or feel free to contact us.

• Patent/Copyright related services

We would like to introduce the "Intellectual Property Research" conducted at our office. We conduct "patent research" to obtain patents with a broad scope of rights and to avoid infringement, as well as "corporate research" to gather and analyze information on rival companies' corporate information and technological capabilities. Additionally, we perform "overseas research" to investigate foreign patents and "technical research" aimed at new product development and entry into new fields. 【Types of Research】 ■ Patent Research ■ Corporate Research ■ Overseas Research ■ Technical Research *For more details, please refer to the related links or feel free to contact us.

• Other services

We would like to introduce the "Protection through Patents" that our office provides. We prevent your company's technology from being rendered unusable due to imitation by other companies or being patented by them. By having you verbally explain your unique technology using design drawings and other materials, we assess whether there are potential patentable items, and for those with potential, we will file patent applications to secure rights. 【Features】 ■ Aim to secure rights for items that have been left unprotected ■ Prevent imitation by other companies and ensure your technology remains usable ■ Assess whether there are potential patentable items through verbal explanations of unique technology using design drawings ■ Discover valuable technologies that are buried and protect them through patents *For more details, please refer to the related links or feel free to contact us.

• Other services

Our office provides "design protection" for your products that have distinctive designs. If designs are not protected, they can be easily imitated since they are the appearance of the product. Moreover, the quality of the design often influences sales, and by protecting the design in such cases, you can develop your business advantageously. [Features] ■ Ability to develop business advantageously ■ Easy to prove in case of infringement *For more details, please refer to the related links or feel free to contact us.

• Other services

Our office provides "protection through trademark rights" for trademarks such as company names, product names, and service names. By registering trademarks such as company names and product names, you can freely use those trademarks. Additionally, if a trademark becomes well-known and embodies business credibility or customer appeal, failing to protect it through trademark rights may lead to a decrease in beneficial effects due to third parties taking advantage of it. [Overview] ■ By registering trademarks such as company names and product names, you can freely use those trademarks. ■ If not protected by trademark rights, there is a risk that beneficial effects may decrease due to third parties taking advantage of it. ■ If a third party establishes rights over your company name, you may lose the ability to use that name and face potential claims for damages. ■ Adopting a good trademark can enhance customer appeal. *For more details, please refer to the related links or feel free to contact us.

• Other services

At our office, we provide "protection of intellectual property overseas" when manufacturing or selling products abroad. Intellectual property rights are independent in each country, and it is necessary to acquire rights in the country where the manufacturing and sales occur. When manufacturing products overseas and importing them to Japan, rights should be obtained in that country. If a third party acquires rights overseas, it will become impossible to manufacture products in that country. [Overview] ■ Intellectual property rights must be acquired independently in each country where manufacturing and sales occur. ■ When manufacturing products overseas and importing them to Japan, rights should be obtained in that country. ■ If a third party acquires rights overseas, it will become impossible to manufacture products in that country. *For more details, please refer to the related links or feel free to contact us.

• Other services

We would like to introduce the "Support for Disputes" that our office provides. We will assist you in cases where you receive warnings or are sued by other companies, or when a third party is infringing on your rights. Disputes can arise unexpectedly, even if you are cautious, so please feel free to contact us when needed. 【Support Scenarios】 ■ When you receive warnings or are sued by other companies ■ When a third party is infringing on your rights *For more details, please refer to the related links or feel free to contact us.

• Other services

To obtain a patent right, a patent application must be filed with the patent office, which includes a written description of the invention. If this application meets the formal requirements and passes the examination of substantive requirements, such as whether the invention is new or not easily conceived from prior art, a patent right can be obtained. The duration of the patent right is 20 years from the filing date. This allows for exclusive implementation and secures a dominant position in the market. Additionally, it helps avoid infringement of rights through the implementation of the invention, enables the acquisition of licensing fees, enhances technical capabilities, and improves social credibility. Furthermore, it serves as a deterrent against competitors before the rights are established. *For more detailed information, please refer to the related links. For further inquiries, feel free to contact us.*

• Patent/Copyright related services

To obtain a utility model right, one must file a utility model registration application with the Patent Office, which includes a document describing the content of the invention. If this application meets the formal requirements, the utility model right can be obtained. However, this utility model right adopts a so-called non-examination principle, meaning that it does not examine requirements such as novelty and inventive step like a patent right does. Therefore, upon application, the utility model right is granted within a few months. The duration of the utility model right is 10 years from the application date. If the right is valid (i.e., if it possesses novelty and inventive step), the utility model right can be exercised just like a patent right. *For more detailed information, please refer to the related links. For further inquiries, feel free to contact us.

• Patent/Copyright related services

Until the rights are acquired, there are cases where they are formalized after going through various procedures. Therefore, we will explain the process, costs, etc., and for each individual case, we will provide an estimate in advance. We would appreciate it if you could review it and formally request our services. Additionally, in the case of utility model rights, due to the non-examination principle, there will be no costs for requesting examination or responding to notifications of reasons for rejection. *You can view the detailed content of the article through the related links. For more information, please feel free to contact us.

• Patent/Copyright related services

At Sano International Patent Office, we aim to secure rights for the inventions, ideas, designs, and trademarks (such as naming and service marks) that you have conceived. Upon your request, we will submit various application documents to the Patent Office and carry out procedures on your behalf until rights are obtained. Please note that there may be cases where rights cannot be acquired depending on the content of the invention, etc. Feel free to contact us when you need our services. 【Business Activities】 ■ Obtaining rights for inventions, ideas, designs, and trademarks abroad ■ Conducting research on patents, utility models, designs, and trademarks ■ Responding to intellectual property rights infringements ■ Conducting patent evaluations ■ Dispatching patent liaison personnel ■ Consulting services related to patent management *For more details, please refer to the related links or feel free to contact us.

• Patent/Copyright related services

At Sano International Patent Office, we file patents and trademark applications in various countries through local agents in those countries. Since intellectual property rights adopt the principle of territoriality, applications must be made for each country where rights are to be obtained. Additionally, we can acquire patent rights through international patent applications (PCT applications), obtain trademark rights through international trademark registration applications (Madrid Agreement), and conduct international registrations for designs. 【Business Activities】 ■ Domestic rights acquisition for inventions, utility models, designs, and trademarks ■ Research services for patents, utility models, designs, and trademarks ■ Response to intellectual property rights infringements ■ Appraisal services for patents, etc. ■ Dispatch of patent liaison personnel ■ Consulting services related to patent management *For more details, please refer to the related links or feel free to contact us.

• Patent/Copyright related services

At Sano International Patent Office, we conduct investigations on patents, utility models, designs, and trademarks. When implementing a business, it is necessary to investigate whether the products or product names infringe on the rights owned by others, in order to prevent infringement in advance. When filing patent applications or conducting research and development, it is essential to investigate whether the technology has already been applied for, to prevent duplicate applications or overlapping research. In some cases, it may be necessary to investigate prior art literature to eliminate defective patent rights owned by others. The investigations are conducted by Patent G-Men® and Patent G-Men®. 【Business Activities】 ■ Domestic rights acquisition for inventions, utility models, designs, and trademarks ■ Foreign rights acquisition for inventions, utility models, designs, and trademarks ■ Response to intellectual property rights infringement ■ Appraisal services for patents, etc. ■ Dispatch of patent liaison personnel ■ Consulting services related to patent management *For more details, please refer to the related links or feel free to contact us.

• Patent/Copyright related services

At Sano International Patent Office, we conduct assessments to determine whether our technologies infringe on patents or other rights held by other companies, or vice versa. In infringement cases, the outcome of this assessment significantly influences the response strategy, making it extremely important. Please feel free to contact us when you need our services. 【Business Activities】 ■ Domestic rights acquisition for inventions, utility models, designs, and trademarks ■ Foreign rights acquisition for inventions, utility models, designs, and trademarks ■ Research services for patents, utility models, designs, and trademarks ■ Response to intellectual property rights infringements ■ Dispatch of patent liaison personnel ■ Consulting services related to patent management *For more details, please refer to the related links or feel free to contact us.

• Patent/Copyright related services

We would like to introduce the "Patent Application Support Service" offered by Sano International Patent Office. By creating your own patent specification with individual guidance from an expert (patent attorney), you can apply for a patent at a low cost while also learning about the practical aspects of patent applications. Depending on the nature of the invention, we may recommend reconsidering the acquisition of a patent. 【Service Details】 ■ Invention Consultation ■ Guidance on Patent Specification Creation ■ Online Application at Our Office *For more details, please refer to the related links or feel free to contact us.

• Patent/Copyright related services

At Sano International Patent Office, we offer a service that dispatches a "Patent Liaison Man" (an assistant to patent attorneys) to where the engineers are, acting as the right-hand support for engineers. This is an innovative service suitable for the era of "industrial property rights" management. Please feel free to contact us when you need our services. 【Business Activities】 ■ Domestic rights acquisition for inventions, utility models, designs, and trademarks ■ Foreign rights acquisition for inventions, utility models, designs, and trademarks ■ Research services for patents, utility models, designs, and trademarks ■ Response to intellectual property rights infringements ■ Appraisal services for patents, etc. ■ Consulting services related to patent management *For more details, please refer to the related links or feel free to contact us.

• Patent/Copyright related services