Patents Advice Centre
First Floor
The Library
Northumbria University
Sandyford Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 8ST
Tel: 0191 2603250
Fax: 0191 2603189
Email: patents.advice@newcastle.gov.uk
Opening Hours
Monday 9am – 5pm
Tuesday 9am – 5pm
Wednesday 9am – 5pm
Thursday 9am – 5pm
Friday 9am – 5pm
Saturday – closed
Sunday – closed
Map showing where we are in Newcastle (pdf 703kb opens in new window)
Where we are in the University of Northumbria City Campus
The Patents Advice Centre offers information and advice on all aspects of intellectual property: patents, trade marks, registered designs and copyright. We are open to anyone within the North East. Our information and advice is free and, for those able to visit, we can provide free assistance in patent searching. We are a member of PATLIB UK and anything you discuss with us is treated confidentially.
We also provide a number of charged services: patent searches, trade mark searches, document supply and current awareness searching.
We are the only library providing specialist patent information between Leeds and Glasgow. The Centre is supported by the UK Intellectual Property Office and the European Patent Office and is currently funded by One North East, the regional development agency, to ensure that our service is available to anyone within the North East.
Intellectual Property
Patents – A patent protects a new invention for what it is, what it does, how it works or how it is made. The invention could be a product or a process to make a product. The invention must be new (not seen anywhere in the world before), not an obvious modification of something that already exists and capable of being made. You cannot patent an artistic creation, a scientific theory, a mathematical model or a business idea. You must not publicly disclose your idea before applying for a patent.
Trade Marks – A trade mark is a badge of origin showing who makes a product. Words, logos, signs, shapes, colours and pieces of music can all be registered as trade marks. A trade mark must be distinctive for the classes of goods or services in which it is registered (it must not directly describe the product) and it must not be the same or similar to existing trade marks for the same or similar goods and services.
Registered Design – A registered design protects how something looks (but not how it works or what it does). Features of the design that can be protected include: lines, contours, colours, shape, texture, material. It must be new (not the same as any design made available to the public) and it must have individual character (the overall impression it gives an informed user must be different from previous designs). You cannot register a design if it is more than 12 months since it was publicly disclosed.
Copyright - copyright protects original artistic work, musical and dramatic work, films, broadcasts, literary works and computer programs. This could include photographs, dance pieces, sculptures, websites, videos, databases, maps and logos. It is an automatic right that arises when you create an original work – there is no registration process and no forms to complete.
We provide free Intellectual Property Office literature on all these forms of intellectual property and application forms for patents, trade marks and design.
Until the new city library opens in 2009 the Patents Advice Centre is based in the library of Northumbria University
We offer a patent search service at a charge of £70 for the first hour and £25 per hour thereafter.
We can also carry out a current awareness programme. We produce a monthly report of current patent applications in a specified field. This service is tailored to individual needs.
Our trade mark search covers registered UK and European Community trade marks and can be words, logos or both. This will identify whether your intended mark or one similar is already registered and could save you wasting £200 or more on an unsuccessful application. The cost is £35 for a half hour search (covers a maximum of four trade marks or one logo) and £25 per hour thereafter.