Patent prosecution
Description
Patent prosecution is a critical stage in transforming innovation into enforceable intellectual property. Once a patent application is filed, the examination process begins. Patent offices assess the invention’s novelty, inventive step and industrial applicability to ensure it meets legal requirements for patentability.
The process often involves written correspondence between the applicant’s patent attorney and the patent examiner. The attorney must clarify claim language, address objections and respond to prior art citations. In multinational filings, this may also require translation, local adaptation and coordination across jurisdictions. Successful prosecution demands both legal precision and linguistic clarity. It not only determines the strength and scope of patent protection but also lays the foundation for future enforcement, licensing and portfolio management.
Example use cases
- Filings: Manage the process from application to grant across global patent offices.
- Response: Clarify or amend claims to overcome examiner objections.
- Translation: Adapt patent documentation for filing in multiple jurisdictions.
- Applications: Extend protection to related inventions via divisional or continuation applications.
- Management: Monitor and optimize prosecution efficiency across a patent family.
Key benefits
RWS perspective
At RWS, we support clients throughout the entire patent prosecution journey – from initial drafting to global validation. Our teams of legal, linguistic and technical experts collaborate with patent attorneys and in-house IP teams to ensure every submission is clear, compliant and strategically aligned.
We combine AI-enabled translation and filing technology with human precision to streamline multi-jurisdictional prosecution. Our integrated IP services – including translation, research, filing and renewals – help clients accelerate time to grant, reduce administrative complexity and maintain accuracy at every stage. This is the RWS Human + Technology advantage: intelligent automation guided by experienced professionals, ensuring consistent, high-quality outcomes across global IP portfolios.