Patent Translation
High quality patent translation
helps reduce the total cost of international applications.
The most expensive part of the foreign application procedure is not the “translation cost” but the “local agent cost.
Reducing the man-hours of local representatives by reducing unnecessary rejections will lead to a reduction in total costs.
By providing accurate, clear, and concise translations that do not drag on Japanese documents, AIBS contributes to
1. reducing the total cost of foreign applications
2. reducing the burden on companies and patent firms involved in foreign applications .
Features of AIBS’s Patent Translation Service
Experience in Patent Specification Translation: More than 1,000 cases per year
High customer satisfaction
Thanks to our experienced translation staff, a system that enables us to provide high-quality translations, and attentive response, we have achieved an 86.1% repeat rate (in FY2021). Repeat orders also help us to better understand our customers’ technical fields and translation needs, which in turn leads to greater customer satisfaction.
Response to quick delivery
You may think that it is a matter of course for a “translation company” to have translators, but in fact, translation companies like ours with in-house translators and checkers are in the minority. Having in-house translators and checkers makes scheduling and communication easier, and allows us to meet relatively short deadlines.
The more you order,the more you save!
We offer volume discounts for our high-quality patent translation services at reasonable prices. We offer special pricing based on the volume of orders you place with us.
If you order translations in more than one language at the same time, we will offer you special pricing starting from the second language.
Commitment to the Quality of Patent Translation
Carefully Selected Patent Translators
The quality of a patent translation depends on the translator’s linguistic skills, technical understanding, and ability to respond to various requirements. Because the language skills of our translators have a particularly large impact on quality, we also focus on the training of our translators.
In-house Translators
Qualifications of employees involved in patent translation
- Intellectual Property Translation Proficiency Examination (Electrical and Electronic Engineering: English translation, Japanese translation; Intellectual Property Law and Practice: English translation)Grade 1: Three translators
- Intellectual Property Management Skills Test2nd Grade: Four employees3rd Grade: Three employees
- English Technical Writing TestAdvanced Level: Three translatorsIntermediate Level: Three translators
- JTF Business & Technical Translation Examination2nd Level: One translator3rd Level: One translator
- Test in Practical English ProficiencyGrade 1: Three employees
Freelance Translators
We contract only with translators and checkers who have a wealth of practical experience and who have passed AIBS’s own rigorous trials.
Even after contracting, patent translation training (English/Japanese writing, technical explanations, explanations of legal systems, and translation efficiency through the use of IT) is provided regularly to improve the skills of our translators.
Workflow compliant with international standards
We have acquired ISO 17100 certification, an international standard for translation services. This certification recognizes our ability to provide high-quality translation services using human and technical resources and processes that conform to the requirements of the standard.
We also provide high-quality translations through a “triple-check process” that is even stricter than the requirements stipulated in ISO 17100.
People involved are very busy and correcting the translation is a major challenge. AIBS’s translators translate based on the technical content and scope of the application, and if there are errors in the original or sentences that would narrow the scope of the application, we provide “translator’s comments” with the translation, including the facts and alternative suggestions. This greatly reduces the amount of work required by the customer to check the translation.
English-language specifications that are correctly conveyed to the local agent and examiner
Translation that is influenced by the Japanese specification can result in unnecessary rejection responses and high costs for the local attorney. Therefore, we precisely supplement subjects and objects that tend to be omitted in Japanese specifications. We can also translate long passages with complex syntactic dependencies into English in an easily understood manner so that the content of the invention is correctly conveyed to the local attorney and examiner.
Support for acquisition of rights that can withstand exercise of rights through translation and translator’s messages
For those sections of the Japanese-language specification that may raise questions regarding interpretation, we will prepare comments that summarize the issues after translating the specification faithfully to the original text. When possible, we will also propose an alternative with appropriate corrections to the translated text. Because our translators have carefully read and translated the specification, they are able to notice “errors in the original text or statements that narrow the scope of the application” that were overlooked when the application was filed in Japan.
These comments and alternatives are delivered together with the translation as “translator’s messages.” These messages not only greatly reduce the amount of work required by the customer to check the translation, but can also be used to claim a domestic priority or prepare an amendment proposal, if necessary. This leads to the establishment of an effective patent family that can be acquired and exercised both domestically and internationally as well.
Use of translation tools to unify terminology
When applying for multiple similar patents at the same time, it is necessary to unify terminology for technical terms. For this purpose, we not only rely on the skills of translators and checkers, but also use computer-assisted translation tools (CAT tools) to unify terminology.
“Translation according to guidelines” to reduce the burden on customers
The quality of a patent specification translation depends greatly on the translator’s linguistic skills, understanding of the technology, and ability to respond to various requirements. We translate and check patent specifications as “technical documents” that convey the content of the invention, and as “legal documents” that are used to exercise rights. Patent translation affects the process of patent acquisition. That is why we take great care to ensure that the translations we provide are in line with our customers’ guidelines. We believe that providing translations that match the level and quality required by our customers will help reduce their workload.
Supported Languages
| North America | English |
| Europe | German, Spanish, French, Russian |
| Asia | Chinese (Simplified)*, Chinese (Traditional), Korean * Chinese (Simplified) is translated mainly by translators (employees) who have received direct guidance from Chinese patent attorneys. |
Spported Patent Documents (Examples)
- Patent specifications
- Various intermediate process documents
- Documents related to trial for invalidation
- Patent gazettes
- Various documents arising from correspondence with international patent firms
- Translation of documents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in accordance with U.S. law (duty to disclose information)
- Abstracts
- Technical documents
Spported Technical Fields (Examples)
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Mechanical | ・Automotive: Powertrains (engines, clutches, transmissions, propeller shafts, etc.), brakes, power windows, wiring harnesses, power steering, automatic driving, electric vehicles, etc. ・Mechanical: Hydraulic systems, cooling systems, bearings, tools for machines, industrial robots, etc. ・Medical: Endoscopes, ultrasonic diagnostic devices, defibrillators, catheters, guidewires, etc. ・Other: Machine tools, construction machinery, agricultural machinery, food machinery, various cameras, etc. |
| Chemical | ・Organic: High molecules, resins, polymers, catalysts, plastics, optical materials, inks, detergents, oils and fats, lubricants, additives, paints, adhesives, etc. ・Inorganic: Alloys, ceramics, glass, functional materials, etc. ・Other: Solar cells, water treatment, cosmetics, etc. |
| Electric/Electronic | ・Various precision equipment: Printers (printing machines), multifunction printers, 3D printers, imaging devices, diagnostic imaging devices, optical instruments, etc. ・Inverters, capacitors, resistors, connectors, electric motors, cables, etc. ・Semiconductor devices, semiconductor packaging, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, circuits, etc. ・Communications (wired and wireless), smartphones, software, systems and networks, image processing, etc. ・Machine learning, artificial intelligence |
| Biotechnology (genetic engineering)/ Pharmaceuticals | ・Genes, amino acids/proteins, microorganisms, antibodies, regenerative medicine-related technologies, etc. ・Drug formulations, low-molecular compounds, reagents, synthetic processes, etc. |
| Food | ・Fermentation/brewing, dairy products, health foods, etc. |
Optional Services
| Service | Description |
|---|---|
| Translation and IP administration support service | We can provide a combined service of “translation and IP administration support” in cooperation with the team that provides IP administration support services. |
| Patent translation proofreading by native speakers | We revise existing English, Chinese, and other translations into sentences that can be read naturally without discomfort by native speakers of the target language. |
| Correction for U.S. and European applications | We rewrite patent claims in a format that matches the practices of the country with which an application will be filed. |
| Patent translation evaluation service (Japanese ⇔ English, Japanese ⇔ Chinese) | From the perspective of an outsider, we check translations of patent specifications that have already been filed. We also provide reverse translations between both Japanese and English or Chinese. |
Introduction of Our Patent Translation Team
Translators and checkers (7 in-house, more than 300 outside the company)
- Who trains translators as an instructor at a patent translation school by learning the theory of technical writing and practical know-how in the field with applicants.
- Who studied all aspects of science and technology and law to accurately assess customer needs as a patent translation coordinator, and also experienced in working as on-site staff at a patent firm.
- Who was involved in the acquisition of domestic and international rights as technical staff in the intellectual property department of a precision equipment manufacturer after experiencing in embedded software design at a semiconductor design company.
- Who has extensive experience in translation related to IT and ITSM, and is also engaged in coordination of projects (including requirement definition, translation, proofreading, and publication) for manuals and other publications.
- Who majored in physics and gained practical experience in the software development division for communications equipment of a major electronics manufacturer and in a manual creation, translation, and publishing company.
Translation coordinators (4 in-house)
- QWhat is a translation coordinator?
- A
The presence of a “coordinator” is an indispensable part of the translation process. Delivery management is particularly important for translations of specifications related to application procedures. Since the translation we deliver goes through a confirmation process within the customer’s company or patent firm before being filed with the local Patent Office, we thoroughly manage deadlines with an awareness of the later stages of the process.
In addition, we select the most suitable translators and checkers to provide satisfactory translations, taking into consideration various factors such as the technical field, application route, and translation instructions from the customer.
Customer Voices
Patent firm requesting Japanese-English translation of a PCT application
We feel that they have high-level translators. Generally, in the case of PCT applications, there is a tendency to stick to mirror translations, and although not grammatically incorrect, there are many translations that are difficult to understand. However, AIBS’s translation, while being a mirror translation, is very easy to read because the parts that are difficult to translate have been accurately devised and translated.
Manufacturer requesting Japanese-English translation of specifications
The overall quality of the translations is high and satisfactory. The provided reference materials were also checked properly before translation, so only minimal terminological corrections were required.
The translator’s messages (translation comments) at the time of delivery were clear and thorough. The post-delivery checking process went smoothly.
Patent firm requesting Japanese-to-English translation of specifications
The translator’s comments were helpful because ambiguities in the Japanese wording were pointed out and we were informed of how they were interpreted and translated.
It was helpful to point out errors in basic numerical values and unit expressions.
Flow of Service Usage
- Contact Us
Please fill in and submit the following form or contact us by phone.
- Interview and Preparation of a Quotation
We will ask you about the language pair, text, application method, desired delivery date of the translation, etc., and prepare a quotation based on this information.
- Ordering
- Translation
- Delivery
- After-Sales Service
We will ask for your evaluation of the deliverables, feedback, etc., and use this information for the next project.
