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Ideas

Anticipation – Mere Presence of Elements Insufficient; Arrangement of Elements Imperative

This post was first published on July 15, 2014.   How is the novelty of an invention established? Another question with a similar connotation is - How does one determine if an invention is anticipated? Simple. Let's see if something exactly alike exists. Apparently, the district court of the District of Arizona didn't think so. We'll look at a case that will put to rest a lot of doubts surrounding the anticipation of inventions. The case, Net MoneyIN, Inc. v. Verisign,…
July 21, 2019 Intellectual Property, Patents 0Comment 822Views 0Like
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Ideas

The Non-Obviousness Requirement and its Evolution – Graham vs. John Deere

This post was first published on 16th July, 2014. Today's special is the case that has set a high precedent in US Patent Law practice, acquiring the status of the highest cited case in subsequent cases decided by several courts, especially the CAFC. Graham vs. John Deere Co. is cited extensively since it clarifies the judicial standing on the requirement of non-obviousness of an invention. William T Graham (Graham) sued John Deere Co. (Deere) for patent infringement. Details: Graham invented a…
July 20, 2019 Intellectual Property, Patents 0Comment 2552Views 0Like
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PO

Common Reasons for Delay in Grant of Patent

This post was first posted on 20th July, 2o14.   A Patent gives its owner a monopolistic right and protection against unauthorized use of anything under its protection. This is the reason that a patent only gets granted once it passes several levels of stringent scrutiny. This phase is called the examination of the patent application. Examination of the application determines whether the patent application is worthy of a patent grant and thus, unless the application fulfills all patentabilty criteria, it does not receive a grant. For…
July 20, 2019 Intellectual Property, Patents 0Comment 1052Views 0Like
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Patents May be Relatively New to Indians, but Inventions are Not

This post was first published on 10th March, 2014.   It gives the SiNApSE blog Team great pleasure to bring forth to our readers a 1971 US patent in which Mr. C. T. Dwarakanath from CFTRI, Mysore, was an inventor. Mr. Dwarakanath was a co-inventor in the patent entitled, "Process for reduction of aflatoxin content of oilseed meals by ozonization", bearing number 3,592,641. The invention was conceived and reduced to practice during one of his visits to Louisiana, USA on a project…
July 20, 2019 Intellectual Property, Patents 0Comment 481Views 0Like
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Were the brothers (W)right?

This post was first published on 20th March, 2014.   Last week, my post was about the role of communication technology in making different regions of the world “excess able” from “access able”. It is important to bear in mind the role played by transportation systems in nullifying the effects of physical distance. Though different transportation means such as roadways, airways and waterways are available, when it comes to covering long distances in short time periods, aviation a.k.a. air transportation is one of…
July 20, 2019 Intellectual Property, Patents 0Comment 592Views 0Like
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This image depicts two people trying to join a puzzle. This image is relevant as their is a threat to the co-existence of the Breeder's rights and patent rights. Click on this image for more information

Threatened Co-existence of Breeders Rights and Patent Rights

This post was last published on September 1st, 2014.   Innovation has always been focused on existing plant varieties which scientists use for improvements and for which breeders' exemption (the right to use protected plant varieties in their research and claim ownership of the results) is granted. But patents don't provide for a breeders' exemption and researchers will have to pay for access to patented materials used in their research if they are allowed access at all. Patent stacking has become common…
July 20, 2019 Intellectual Property, Patents, Plant Varieties 0Comment 746Views 0Like
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Genetic Patentability x

Myriad Genetics Case : Genetic Patentability

This post was first published on 19th August, 2013.   Finally, I have managed to read the Myriad Genetics case at peace. Off late, setting out to analyze the US Supreme Court's patent decisions has become a much easier task than earlier. Firstly, the Court has gotten clearer in the recent past, and secondly, it is no longer a one sided patent friendly Court. The decisions of the Court in KSR, Bilski, Mayo, and finally this case indicate that trend. In the…
July 19, 2019 Intellectual Property, Patents 0Comment 735Views 0Like
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Special Report

Demystifying the Evergreen myth

This post was first published on 19th May, 2014.   Evergreening, known in the politically-correct-circles as “Life Cycle management” of a drug, is the concept of extending the exclusivity term rendered to a pharmaceutical patent through legal and business measures. Contrary to existing myths and notions, Evergreening does not stop an interested party from exploiting the invention of an expiring patent. It is purely a business strategy to introduce and position newer products (sometimes patented) into the market so as to prolong…
July 19, 2019 Intellectual Property, Patents 0Comment 867Views 0Like
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Ideas

Public Use Exemption for Patentability

This post was last published on July 18th, 2014.   Today we will take a look at two patentability cases with a very similar premise, the premise being if the public use of an invention bars its patentability. What these two cases have in common is only the premise, and with a little scrutiny, we will see how contrasting the cases actually were. 1. Egbert v. Lippmann, 104 U.S. 333 (1881) In the year 1855, Samuel Barnes, designed corset springs,…
July 18, 2019 Intellectual Property, Patents 0Comment 642Views 0Like
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Patent app. filing

Keeping Secrets from the Patent Office? Think Again!

This post was first published on 17th July, 2014.   The Indian Patents Act, 1970 obligates an applicant under Section 8, Rule 12 to furnish information and submit an undertaking regarding foreign application or foreign filing. Under this section, an applicant has to submit details of the application filed 'in any country outside India in respect of the same or substantially the same invention' as required under section 8(1)(a); and an undertaking stating that the Applicant will keep the Controller informed of the application…
July 17, 2019 Intellectual Property, Patents 0Comment 578Views 0Like
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