An introduction to patents Dr. Feike Liefrink 31 oktober 2006
Outline of the presentation Overview of intellectual property rights Requirements Procedures How to decide about patenting Patentability of software
Intellectual property rights Industrial rights: registration required Other rights: no registration required Patents Copyright Trademarks Designs
What is a patent? An exclusive right, granted by the state, to exclude others from exploiting your invention during a specific period in the jurisdiction of the state.
Why do we have a patent system? - Profit for society: disclosure of technical development - The price we pay: monopoly for applicant
Dispensing assembly for a lined carton and process and apparatus thereof Organic light-emitting device and method of fabricating the same TEMPORAL INTERPOLATION OF A PIXEL ON BASIS OF OCCLUSION DETECTION
Example of a patent document EP 0794705 B1 IMPROVED BREADMAKER AND A CODING SYSTEM THEREFOR
Requirements 1. Formal requirements 2. Substantive requirements Novelty Inventive step Industrial application
Novelty An invention shall be considered to be new if it does not form part of the state of the art The state of the art comprises everything made available to the public by means of a written or oral description, by use, or in any other way, before the date of filing
Inventive step An invention is considered as involving an inventive step if it is not obvious to a person skilled in the art
Examination before grant Formal requirements - national application: YES - European application (EPO): YES Substantive requirements - national (Dutch) application: NO - European application (EPO): YES
Patent procedure: steps until grant Patent application always publication after 18 months Prior art search search report [ Examination examination report ] Grant of patent maximum 20 year
Patent procedure: establishment of a patent right 0 12 18 Time (months) filing priority year examination publication patent
Procedures and costs National 3.500 euro Dutch patent European Patent Office (EPO) 30.000 euro bundle of patents International PCT (WIPO) 125.000 euro bundle of patent applications
Who obtains the patent right? First to file principle Inventor: right to be mentioned entitled to compensation
Procedures after grant Opposition (EPO) revocation or maintenance Invalidation (court) nullity or maintenance Enforcement (court) claim of damages
Responsibilities Patent applicant (and inventor) - invention - strategy, marketing, etc. Patent attorney - writing of application - filing and prosecution of application - invalidation and infringement procedures
Patent protection: industry point of view Protect product or process patent = monopoly Negotiation tool stop competitors or collaborate sell or buy technical know-how Marketing image, sales argument Venture capital patent = money
Should we apply for a patent? Costs versus benefits Availability alternative technology Life cycle product Increase market potential (cross-licence) Trade secret
Alternative policies Make invention available to the public - this prevents a third party from patenting Maintain trade secret - especially for non-patentable inventions - can last for ever - risk of reverse engineering - risk for contractors and licensees
Bescherming van software Auteursrecht (copyright) - eis: oorspronkelijk karakter en persoonlijk stempel - object: concrete uitdrukkingsvorm (source code) Octrooirecht - eis: technisch karakter (naast nieuwheid etc.) - object: de uitvinding
Software en octrooirecht Software als zodanig is niet octrooieerbaar Er moet sprake zijn van een technisch karakter Grenzen zijn voornamelijk bepaald door de jurisprudentie van het EOB USA: software kan altijd worden geoctrooieerd
Europese richtlijn is er niet gekomen Doel: harmonisatie en verbetering rechtszekerheid Grote tegenstand vanuit open source beweging Voorbeeld: EP 1276083 A1 (Method and system for placing and handling an order via a data network, for example the Internet) Richtlijn is verworpen door Europees Parlement Iedereen lijkt hiermee te kunnen leven