This year, Hansson Thyresson Patentbyrå AB celebrates its 20th anniversary. At the same time, the patent agency launches a new visual identity and moves to a new, bigger, office.
The Malmö-based Hansson Thyresson Patentbyrå AB offers legal and technical services within the intellectual property (IP) area, especially focusing on patents, trademarks and design.
“We help companies to protect their ideas, products and services, in Sweden as well as abroad,” says Anders Hansson, Senior Partner, M. Sc. EE and co-founder of Hansson Thyresson Patentbyrå.
What the client eventually decides to protect isn’t always what he/she had in mind at the outset. Sometimes the best advice is not to apply for protection, at least not for the moment.
“We see to our client’s needs in a broader perspective. They are not always the same as the client’s express needs,” adds Anders Hansson, who handles patent applications and conducts novelty searches within electronics, computer technology, machine technology, building technology and medical technology.
Branch Office in Medicon Village
A patent’s fundamental function is to grant the inventor a legally enforceable monopoly over their invention. The term of protection
is 20 years (or maximum 25 years for pharmaceuticals). Patents can also become a valuable asset in a company and provide market advantages. Sweden has one of the world’s highest rates of patents per capita. However, many Swedish inventions are exploited by foreign companies.
“The commercial success of an idea frequently depends on the ability and energy of the people working with it. You have to endure drawbacks and losses on the way. There’s a lot of capital to seek when an idea starts to take off, but very little in the upstart phase. Many Swedish investors are too cautious,” Anders Hansson thinks.
Swedish companies show more interest in ideas developed outside their own organisations than they used to, but Anders Hansson would like to see even more cooperation between companies and innovators. That’s what’s happening at Medicon Village in Lund, where Hansson Thyresson Patentbyrå has had a branch office for two years.
“I am happy to endorse Medicon Village, which has surpassed all the objectives that were set at the start. Here, there’s a clear drive to reward collaboration between companies in the ‘village’. It’s a very exciting environment with many companies in life sciences and nano technology. The European Spallation Source, research departments at Lund University and the regional development agency Region Skåne, among others, are also situated here.”
Hansson Thyresson Patentbyrå was established in 1994. In conjunction with its 20th anniversary, the patent agency is launching a new visual identity and graphic profile. During the 20 years of its presence on the market and through the extensive experience of its co-workers, the agency has built up a strong international network. It’s a great asset for clients who want to launch their products and services on markets outside Sweden.
“Through representatives we’re able to offer foreign protection on any continent. European patents, as well as trademark and design protection in the EU, we are taken care of in-house,” comments Anders Hansson.
In a Phase of Growth
Hansson Thyresson Patentbyrå has primarily been growing through recommendations from their clients. However, the present position of the company provides tools for finding new clients. Lately, the company has grown by 25% because of two recruitments and one more is expected during the next 12 months. At the same time, the agency is about to move to a new, bigger, office.
“We see a great potential on the Swedish market. Many companies view IP protection as an expense only. Unfortunately, it’s rarely a part of the long-term business strategy,” says Anders Hansson.
Recently Patent Attorney Dan Lindahl, Ph.D, M.Sc.EE, with a medical doctor’s degree and graduated from medical school, was employed by the agency. His expertise covers a broad field and one of his specialities is autonomous systems.
“I have experience from vehicles with embedded intelligence, such as autonomous underwater vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles, for instance. Autonomous systems is an area that’s growing, especially in the automotive industry,” he says.
Patent Strategy is Important
The inventor is often very knowledgeable in his or her area of expertise. The patent attorneys at Hansson Thyresson help the inventor and applicant to consider all stages of the patent application.
“The inventor can contribute with a thorough specification of the invention. However, the drafting of the application text and especially the claims is critical. The patent claims are legally binding and must not be easy to circumvent. Here it’s advisable to consult a patent agency, even if you’re competent in your field and are able to describe the invention correctly. You should have a proper strategy that answers the questions: What should you protect? When should you apply for patent? In what areas of the world does the protection need to be valid?” says Dan Lindahl.
“Often applicants for patents fail to recognise the time it takes and that quite a lot of money will have to be spent on the process over a number of years,” adds Albin Persson, Partner and Authorised European Patent Attorney, with a master’s degree in intellectual property rights (IPR). His specialities are chemistry and mechanics, and he’s experienced in handling patent cases in medtech, cleantech and heat exchange technology.
His education in IPR has given him deep legal knowledge. In addition, he’s a specialist in different forms of investigation using databases.
“Novelty searches on databases let you know whether the invention is new or not. If the technology on which the invention is based is known, then the chances of getting a new patent granted are very limited. But, you sometimes find new solutions to known problems. Using databases, it’s also possible to conduct infringement searches or find material with which to object to other patents in order to invalidate them,” Albin Persson concludes.
