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IP unlocks startup valuation – Part I
Chris Baxter shares how to use IP to unlock startup valuation at the pre-traction stage in the first Part of the series Why Investors Always Ask About IP.
Civil engineering and construction patents
Innovations in the field of civil engineering and construction are brought about by the need to meet or exceed existing building standards, shorten lead times, minimise cost and maintain the safety of the generally capital-intensive construction projects. In Australia, civil engineering ranks among the top 5 industries for filing patent applications in 2018.
What’s patentable?
So long as your civil engineering or construction industry technology is new and inventive, it should be patentable in any country around the world. In relation to protection of technologies involved in large projects, it is difficult to maintain confidentiality; thus, an early patent filing date is particularly important.
Benefits and challenges of filing civil engineering and construction patent applications
Civil engineering patent applications are used to protect innovative design features of structures, components and infrastructure. Companies that have patents granted to them benefit from a 20 year monopoly over these design features. Companies that have exclusive use of innovative design features may be able to:
- More successfully respond to tenders
- Complete works more cost efficiently
- Complete works to a higher design standard
Examples of granted civil engineering and construction patent applications
| Building construction systems |
Komatsu Ltd. |
|---|---|
| Prefabricated building systems |
Pan, Margarett MRS; Sunrise Smart Built-IT Co. Ltd. |
| Methods of construction |
Neil, Peter Mervyn |
| Safety apparatus |
DALF Enterprises Pty Ltd |
| Heating & cooling systems |
Vertiv Corporation |
| Lifting apparatus |
Yuan, Xianyang MR |
| Concrete compositions & building materials |
Kuraray Co., Ltd. |
| Structural engineering |
Nisshin Steel Co., Ltd. |
| Underground pipe installation |
Tracto-Technik GmbH & Co. KG |
| Building components |
Nowland, Denis Alfred |
| Rail infrastructure & rolling stock |
Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation |
| Power distribution infrastructure |
Redarc Technologies Pty Ltd |
| Cleantech |
GTL Renewable Pty Ltd |
| Recycled bulk materials |
Clyde Process Limited |
| Safety apparatus |
Sayfa R&D Pty Ltd |
The Baxter IP approach to filing civil engineering and construction patent applications
Patent strategies that are particularly useful in the civil engineering and construction industry include:
- File in Australia so as to protect your home market and to make use of the 12-month period prior to having to make a foreign filing, to develop the project commercially.
- Use confidentiality agreements together with your patent pending to approach multinational companies or statutory bodies.
- Use a PCT patent application at the end of the 12-month period to continue to cover your idea in 152 countries (as at 2019) and possibly file other patents to ensure you cover all countries in which the prospective multinationals commercialise or statutory bodies will build or use the new technology.
- Proceed in the countries that are important to interested parties by the 30-month deadline for national phase entry.
Depending on specific circumstances, however, other strategies may be more appropriate. It is important to discuss your particular situation with a qualified attorney to determine the best strategy in each case.
Examples of civil engineering and construction patent applications filed through Baxter IP
- AU Patent #2018247335 – Lift shaft assembly and construction and installation thereof. Bowen and Pomeroy Pty Ltd
- AU Patent #2019901171 – Hole depth measuring, device and system. Jedair Compressors Pty Ltd
- AU Patent #2019200184 – A plumbing attachment to aid in the installation of piping. Nilsson, Fredrik
- AU Patent #2019200174 – A system and a method for power generation. Hiremath, Rajeev MR
- AU Patent #2018274977 – A system for providing a continuous stream of foamed cement product and a mixing and pump apparatus, system and an associated method for providing a stream of foamed cement material. Vacrest Pty Ltd
Our civil engineering and construction industry experts
Speak to a patent attorney about protecting your idea today.
What are the key regions for civil engineering and construction patents?
- USA – Largest market in the world that is closest to the style of the Australian market, so that improvements in building or other infrastructure construction will often translate from the Australian market to the US market.
- China – A large economy continually undertaking substantial infrastructure projects and quite open to innovative construction technology.
- Middle East – As we can protect 6 countries in a single Gulf Cooperation Council patent application and these countries expend large amounts on infrastructure yet have a requirement for high quality and innovative developments.
- Europe – Over 20 countries can be protected by a single European patent application and this forms the 3rd largest economic region in the world
- Australia – Particularly if this is your pilot market and the infrastructure is required in fields that are related to commercial projects like mining, education, health, transport and telecommunications.
Some of our civil engineering and construction clients include:
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