Inventions in the field of defence and armaments technology, nuclear technology and secret communication may contain state secrets. For example the invention could contain military technology or cryptology. Increasingly, we face inventions involving the use of artificial intelligence. In this case, special handling of patent applications is required.

Inventors of state secrets may have their inventions supervised by patent attorneys, who are, however, subject to a security check. The patent attorneys must ensure, for example, through organisational measures and technical security equipment, that only those persons for whom knowledge of the state secret is essential for compelling professional reasons receive it.

At the German Patent Trade Mark Office, patent applications containing state secrets are handled in the “Office 99”. Here, state secrets are categorised as ‘confidential’, ‘secret’ or ‘top secret’. If a confidentiality decision is issued by Office 99, the patent application will not be published and commercial exploitation will only be permitted under certain conditions.

Our office has the required capacities of handling military technology. We will be pleased to provide you with further information upon your request.

Further information (in German language) can also be found on the homepage of the DPMA: https://www.dpma.de/docs/patente/geheimschutz.pdf

July 2, 2025
Thorsten Brüntjen
Patent Attorney