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First-round application window opens for new Generic Top Level Domains (gTLDs) On 12 January, a 90-day application window opened for organisations wishing to operate new Top Level Domain (gTLD) registries. As of that date, around 150 organisations had...
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On 20 December 2011 the European Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee voted in favour of the so-called "EU patent package" - proposed legislation to create a unitary patent which would, when granted, automatically be valid in nearly all EU...
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Software and business method patents get frequent attention in the media, but what about methods of performing a mental act? In particular, what about computer implemented methods of performing simulations? These are the questions addressed by HHJ Birss QC...
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Article 53(c) EPC excludes methods for the treatment of the human or animal body by therapy or surgery from patentability at the EPO. The most significant discussion on the meaning of "treatment by surgery" is in the Enlarged Board of Appeal...
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The European Patent Office recently released statistics relating to the number of European patent filings over the last 10 years. An analysis of these shows just how significant the changes are in relation to subject matter and countries of origin, in...
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In what is expected to be a milestone case, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU, formerly the ECJ) is shortly going to rule on questions relating to the patentability of inventions involving the use of human embryos. Whatever the outcome...
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From 15 July 2011, the UKIPO together with seven other patent offices, including the Japanese Patent (JPO) and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), has relaxed the priority requirements for requesting PPH. This pilot program is...
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The current government is keeping its promise, first announced under the Labour regime in December 2009, to encourage investment in innovation in the UK by providing a reduced 10% rate of corporation tax rate for profits arising from patents. The new scheme...
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The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) has just published a notification that it has changed its practice with regard to the calculation of the period for filing an Opposition to a UK trade mark application. As a result of this change in practice, any...
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"..one of the premier firms for patent work" "very good technical competence" "excellent understanding of the market" "good listeners and understand client needs accordingly" . These are just some of the comments...
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Are Business Methods Patentable in the US? For a while it seemed that they might not be any more; but the US Supreme Court has just re-opened the door. The Background Back in 2008 the US Court of Appeals of the Federal Circuit (CAFC) gave a ruling in the...
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The European Patent Office (EPO) has announced a number of changes to the Rules governing prosecution of European Patent Applications and International (PCT) Patent Applications entering the EPO regional phase (Euro-PCT applications). These changes come...
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IPReg, the Intellectual Property Regulation Board, is an independent body set up under the Legal Services Act to regulate both patent and trade mark attorneys in the UK. It has taken over the regulatory functions of the Chartered Institute of Patent...
