Patent specification translation

How is the price of patent specification translation calculated?

Once the passages to be translated are identified, we assess the text volume and any additional work. A quote based on words or characters should state the counting unit, method and treatment of repetitions. The fee may be calculated by multiplying the agreed text volume by the rate for the language pair, then adding any approved extra work. Page count alone is not enough: two specifications of the same length can differ in text density and file structure. The final scope and fee are set out in the quote after the files have been reviewed.

• Identify the language pair, technical field and source version to be translated.
• State whether the count uses words or characters, and whether spaces are included.
• List OCR, text within drawings, layout work and additional review separately where needed.
• Assess new versions, updates to changed passages and the delivery plan within the agreed scope.

Read the description alongside the rest of the patent application

The technical field, background, description of the invention and embodiments may use the same concepts at different levels of detail. Those connections need to remain consistent throughout the translation. Claims and drawings help explain the structure being described. Even when only the description is being translated, access to related documents is useful. You can also provide a previously translated member of the patent family; differences from the current specification are assessed separately.

Choose terminology in its technical context

The term selected for a component, process or material must retain the same meaning throughout the text. Your terminology list, product documents and previously approved translations can inform these decisions. Abbreviations, proper names, chemical notation and expressions that should remain unchanged are agreed at the start. An unclear relationship in the source is recorded as a question rather than filled in by guesswork. If technical explanations are to be added, that work is identified as editing beyond the translation itself.

Check drawings, reference numbers and cross-references

Reference numbers, figure references, formulas and tables form part of the technical description. Before delivery, we check the links between text and drawings, paragraph order and numbering. Translating text inside drawings and editing graphics are quoted separately where requested. Scanned files may contain character-recognition errors. An editable source and clear drawings help us check the meaning and prepare the files for delivery.

Agree the final source version and delivery format at the start

Changes made before filing can affect the description, claims and figure captions together. If a new version arrives after translation has started, the extent of the changes needs to be assessed. Translating a complete file and updating only changed passages are different tasks. State the target language, intended use, preferred file format and translation deadline. The applicant or authorised patent attorney should confirm filing deadlines and the requirements for the text submitted to the relevant office.

How much of the Word or PDF layout can be preserved?

An editable Word file makes headings, paragraph numbers, tables and figure references easier to track. Text length changes between languages, so an identical page count or line layout cannot be promised in advance. A PDF with selectable text differs from a scanned PDF. A scan may require OCR and layout reconstruction, followed by a check of the recognised text against the source. Translating text inside drawings and placing it back into the graphics is a separate task. Requirements for editable files, a final PDF and layout work are agreed separately in the quote.

Illustrative check: a component term and figure number

This example was created to explain the review approach; it is not a customer document or a completed project. Suppose a component is called “valve (12)” in the source description but “valve (21)” in another paragraph. The component name, paragraph context and figure reference are compared together. The number is not changed by guesswork; it is recorded as a source query that needs clarification. If the claims use a different term for the same component, the meaning across the two parts is also examined.

• Compare the component name and abbreviation across the relevant sections.
• Check that the figure number matches the reference in the text.
• Record a source query separately from a translation correction.

Which files will you receive?

The files to be delivered are listed in the approved quote. The description, claims, abstract and text within drawings can be quoted separately. A document supplied for reference is not included in the translation unless this has been agreed.

• The translation of the agreed source version
• The editable file and/or final PDF specified in the quote
• Terminology notes, source queries and revision information where included in the scope
• Separately agreed updates for changes received later

Frequently asked questions