The Queensland Government’s new Business Boost small business grants program opens this week and provides grants of up to $15,000 (co-contribution) to businesses seeking to make improvements in their efficiency and productivity. This support includes funded activities in 3 project areas: 1. Future planning Strategic business planning for innovation or...
In yet another hearing conducted by IP Australia on the issue of whether an application contained any patentable subject, it was found that application no. 2019261672 to Accenture Global Solutions Limited for a Cryptologic Coordinated Symmetric Conditional Key Release did not, in fact, include any...
In many non-English speaking jurisdictions, where a translation into the national language is required to complete national phase entry of a PCT application, it’s possible to lodge the translation subsequent to the national phase entry deadline. Being able to lodge a translation subsequent to national...
Divisional practice in Mexico is set to receive an overhaul next month which will restrict an applicant’s opportunity to lodge a divisional application from a patent application that has completed examination. Following a recent decision issued by the Mexican Courts on 15 July 2022, no divisional...
The requirements under Australian Patent law to demonstrate enablement of a patent claim across its full scope was enshrined in Australian law with the IP Laws Amendment (Raising the Bar) Act 2012 that came into effect on 15 April 2013. The “enablement” requirement in Australian practice is...
Often times clients question whether they should seek patent protection OR design protection. While the facts of each scenario may render either patent or design protection impractical, the case of GME Pty Ltd v Uniden Australia Pty Ltd [2022] FCA 520 makes it clear that...
Continuing on with my article in relation to timing and costs associated with amendments in Australia, this article delves into differences in New Zealand. Despite the relatively close proximity of the two countries, the timing and costs in New Zealand and Australia are quite different. Pre-prosecution An...
Application deadlines for the following two grants fall early in the new financial year. One is is a national program while the other is open to Queensland-based enterprises. Export Market Development Grants (EDMG) Austrade’s Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) program aims to help Australian businesses expand...
In a recent decision of Commissioner of Patents v Thaler [2022] FCAFC 62, the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia has overturned a landmark decision of Beach J[1] in finding that DABUS, an artificial intelligence system, can be considered to be an inventor...
As more countries set “net zero” carbon emissions targets, research and investment focused on greatly reducing negative ecological effects will likely impact global growth in patent filings. An Australian based company who also happens to be the country’s first certified carbon neutral producer of urea fertiliser...
Aussie medtech company ResApp Health (ResApp) recently announced news of its sale to Pfizer Australia, a wholly-owned subsidiary of global biopharmaceutical company Pfizer Inc. The proposed acquisition will mean that Pfizer will acquire 100% of the shares in ResApp (by way of a Scheme of Arrangement) for A$0.115...
Indigenous people and communities have unique needs in relation to intellectual property, which can be sensitive given their social, historical, political, and cultural complexities. IP Australia uses Indigenous Knowledge (IK) as a term to cover a range of knowledge held and continually developed by Australia’s First...
The future of our planet weighs heavily on all our minds, but especially on those of younger generations like Gen Z and Centennials. Pollution and environmental issues are of major concern and according to a December 2019 major survey of more than 10,000 young people...
In light of recent events, the Russian Federation issued a decree for a new methodology for compensating for patent infringement where a patentee originates from an unfriendly country.[1] While the decree does not preclude a patentee from seeking relief, it reduces the maximum relief available...
Earlier this week I came across an article making a bold claim that IP Australia had leaked the images of an upcoming Lotus SUV. As is often the case with many Intellectual Property (IP) matters reported by the media, the facts quoted in the article...
Under Australian practice, amendments can be submitted at any time throughout the life of a patent. However, there are some restrictions as to the type of amendments and there are also costs associated with amendments at different times. Pre-prosecution An amendment to the claims and/or specification prior...
Hydrogen is one of the most abundant elements on Earth and is a very versatile source of energy with potential applications for automobile, transportation and large-scale industrial applications such as steel and ammonia production. When compared with other traditional fossil fuels, byproducts from burning hydrogen...
In just a few weeks’ time anyone with a verified connection to Australia will be able to apply for a shorter domain name, commonly referred to as a “second level name” or the “.au namespace”. From 24 March 2022, applications can be made: to licence new...
The patentable subject matter battle being waged between the Commissioner of Patents and patent applications for the last decade may be taken to the High Court this year. Following unfavourable opinions in the Full Federal Court of Australia, Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd and Repipe Pty...
It has been a very good start to the year for key manufacturer of electric vehicle (EV) chargers, Tritium. For those who missed it, Australian-based innovators Tritium became a publicly listed company on the Nasdaq exchange in January 2022 (under the ticker symbol “DCFC). On top of this major...