4. Our advice

4.1 Control your communications/disclosures

It is advisable to disclose the content of a patented invention only after signing a confidentiality agreement, if the application has not yet been published (publication takes place 18 months after filing). This has two advantages:

• you preserve the possibility of patenting improvements to your initial invention, without the disclosure of the initial invention being enforceable against them;

• you retain a competitive advantage, because during this period your invention is protected, but your competitors do not know what you have protected (period of obscurity inherent in the patent system); this is why you should think carefully before communicating the claims...