The meaning and purpose of a patent, like all documents, can be lost in translation. As such, it is always vital that any business dealing with patents understands the important of patent translation because while EU patent reform aims to make it easier than ever to translate patents, the system is still not a straight forward process.

Patent translation is important in two scenarios: 1) A patent owner wishes to receive new patent rights in a different country, and 2) new information is sought from a foreign patent.

Let’s take a look at both of these scenarios in greater detail.

Patent translation for foreign rights

A patent translation can be filed with an international patent office for new patent rights in a foreign country. If you or your business wishes to receive patent rights in another country, a legal translation service is essential – misinterpretation and inaccuracy can halt requests entirely. Another reason that legal translation is essential is because of timescale – granted patents usually only have a short amount of time to file a patent translation once granted.

Because of this, the phrase time is of the essence is common in the patent industry.

Patent translation for information

Sometimes, patent translation is needed to better understand a competitor’s patent or for investors to understand what the patent covers. In this situation, patent translation can find out basic information about a patent or shed light on a specific part.

In most circumstances, a certified legal translation would not be required for information.

For this reason, translation that concentrates on phrases and key points will likely be the most useful in this scenario, so long as the interested party is happy with that level of information. If there are certain questions that need answering about a patent or key points that need addressing, an informational translation service would be ideal.

The importance of accuracy

In all scenarios of patent translation, accuracy is essential. The translation service also needs to be fast and be handled by experienced professionals. With regard to patent translation for foreign rights, certified legal translation will be required to ensure smooth proceedings. While this level of translation may not be needed for information, it can still be considered for secondary use in the future.

If you require patent translation, get in touch with Network Languages today. We offer both patent translation for foreign rights and patent translation for information services.