Why is patent translation important?

 

As the global industry grows, it is natural for companies that have succeeded in the domestic market to consider expanding their business overseas. Innovation is important when competing in a global marketplace, and all international companies know this. However, in order to be competitive in overseas markets, we need to have ideas and technological innovations different from overseas competitors. If it has succeeded with innovative technology in Korea, the possibility is open in overseas markets as well. A patent protects the inventor's industrial and intellectual property and grants the exclusive right to sell the invention. Since most cases are protected only in certain country, it is also necessary to obtain a patent from the target country when entering the overseas market. So, how can you get a patent in a foreign country? At I’MTranslation and ISiS Korea which provides professional translation services for various corporate documents, we will take a look at patent translation today. What is Patent Translation? Patents are the most basic system for protecting intellectual property. Patent translation is the process of translating a patent document received in domestic country by an industry expert and making it possible to file an overseas application in a target country. Patent documents can be viewed as complex and detailed technical documents, typically including patent specifications, letters of attorney, and the patent filing process. In addition, since they are written in the specialized vocabulary of a particular industry, the translator needs knowledge of the vocabulary relevant to that industry.

In general, there are two types of patent translation: application and informational patent translation. Patent translation for filing is used as an official record during the patent application process. The target audience of the translation is legal experts, patent officials, and licensees who review the patent application. For filing documents, a clear and concise translation that conveys the meaning of the invention and uses a minimum of jargon is vital. Patent translation for information is usually used as legal evidence in court proceedings for patents that have already been filed. This form of translation is used to reproduce the content of a patent that has already been applied for and should be as consistent with the original as possible.

If you are a patent translator, you must ensure that the various techniques or standards of the original are not subject to national legal sanctions and that there are no ambiguities. A careful scrutiny is necessary, especially as small typos can cause a patent application to be dismissed. A high level of specialization is sometimes required in the patent industry terminology or related knowledge. Incorrect translation of a patent may not only cost money, but also delay overseas expansion plans or cause other competitors to advance first and lose an edge. In addition, if a patent application is rejected once, there may be disadvantages in the next patent application, so special attention is required for patent translation. So, what should be considered when choosing an agency to translate a patent? Before signing a contract with the agency, it's a good idea to look at the agency's past performance or experience with the project. Because the number of skilled patent translators is small, it is important to find a Language Service Provider (LSP) with a network of experienced translators. Once you find a translator or agency, you should also check whether the project can be delivered on time.

When a patent is granted, there is not much time to translate and apply for rights abroad. That's why you can't afford to waste time and need a fast patent translation service. In general, professional translation companies use a translation tool called CAT to ensure that a patent document is accurate and consistent with the original by matching sentences, maintaining consistency in terminology, and making projects run more smoothly.

It is important to save money for translation but it is very important to work with experienced translation agency where quality inspection is done properly with zero translation error. As already mentioned, there may be cases where an invention may not be protected by a patent as a result of an incorrect translation. For this reason, patent documents require more complicated and difficult translation than other documents due to the nature of the documents, and it is important to hire a professional patent translation agency that can reduce factors such as errors, mistranslations or delays.

I hope that today's article will be of some help to companies targeting overseas markets.

Need a translation? I’M Translation and ISIS Korea provides professional translation and interpretation services.

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