The demise of the innovation patent has been confirmed and a date has been set. Described by IP Australia as a ‘phase out’, innovation patent applications can still be filed but must benefit from an Australian non-provisional filing date (e.g. international filing date) no later than 25 August 2021; e.g. divisional patent applications for innovation […]
(See here for the latest update) Three-month extensions of time for COVID-19 related delays are now freely available for most Australian patent and trade mark deadlines. Deadlines that cannot be met due to COVID-19 related ‘circumstances beyond the control of the person’ can now be extended with a simple electronic request via an electronic portal […]
(See here for the latest update) Three-month extensions of time for COVID-19 related delays are now freely available for most Australian patent and trade mark deadlines. For now, IP Australia (the Australian Patent and Trade Marks Office) has: provided standard text to be used in support of requests for extension of time; agreed to refund […]
(See here for the latest update) IP Australia (the Australian Patent and Trade Marks Office) has not yet announced any measures specific to COVID-19. Fortunately, most* Australian patent and trade mark deadlines can be extended if they are missed, or cannot be met, “because of: a) an error or omission by the person concerned or […]
A series of experts discuss the route from a new idea to a commercial return and the tools available to make it easier and improve the prospects of success. View the flyer Learn more Attend the event (free) Register Here Event Details 17 MARCH 2020 William Buck Level 20, 181 William Street Melbourne VIC 3000 […]
We are again proud supporters of the City of Greater Dandenong’s ‘Take a Swing for Charity‘ golf day. Every year the City of Greater Dandenong, through its business networking unit South East Business Networks (SEBN), and together with key corporate sponsors, holds an annual afternoon of golf followed by dinner and a charity auction to […]
New excess claim fees and how to avoid them The Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) has announced significant patent fee increases to take effect in 2020 as detailed here. Most of the changes take effect 13 February 2020, although the new maintenance and renewal fee rates apply to fees due on or after […]
The boundaries of the monopoly provided by an Australian patent are fixed by the wording of the patent’s claims. We do not have a doctrine of equivalents. Hence the interpretation of the claims is critical, perhaps even more so than in some other jurisdictions. A welcome degree of certainty The Australian approach to claim interpretation […]
The patent-eligibility of a computer-implemented business method was recently before an Australian Court. The Court emphasised that mere ‘generic computer implementation’ is not sufficient to render abstract ideas patentable, but declined to provide comprehensive guidance on the patent-eligibility of computer-implemented inventions (CIIs). In Australia: patent protection is available for ‘manners of manufacture’ and it is […]
The abolition of the Australian innovation patent will likely be confirmed in late 2019. The Australian innovation patent is an 8 year patent intended to protect lower level inventions that do not qualify for 20 year patents. There have long been criticisms that innovation patents are too easy to get and can validly cover too […]
