Patents Archives - Spruson & Ferguson

16th Nov 2023

Apostille Convention now in effect in China

Summary Public documents that have an apostille certificate issued by a competent authority in the countries that are part of the Apostille Convention will be accepted by Chinese courts without...

Summary Public documents that have an apostille certificate issued by a competent authority in the countries that are part of...

27th Oct 2023

India: High Court relaxes requirements for divisional application maintainability

Syngenta Limited v. Controller of Patents and Designs (471/2022), Delhi High Court Decision Summary A lack of unity objection of the Controller is no longer a requirement for the maintenance of...

Syngenta Limited v. Controller of Patents and Designs (471/2022), Delhi High Court Decision Summary A lack of unity objection of the...

26th Oct 2023

Change in EPO practice: calculating patent deadlines

Introduction From 1 November 2023, the way of calculating deadlines set by letters from the EPO is changing. Letters dated 1 November 2023 and after are deemed to have been received...

Introduction From 1 November 2023, the way of calculating deadlines set by letters from the EPO is changing. Letters dated 1...

18th Oct 2023

Giving Indigenous people a say in patentability: a tale of two countries

With the current media focus on indigenous rights, in this article we will briefly consider some aspects of patent law as it pertains to the rights of indigenous populations,...

With the current media focus on indigenous rights, in this article we will briefly consider some aspects of patent...

10th Oct 2023

The Nobel Prize Winners 2023: a snapshot of their patent footprints – Part 2 Chemistry

Last week, the Nobel Committees announced the much-anticipated Nobel Prize winners of 2023, honouring the contributions that, as per Alfred Nobel’s will of 1895, “have conferred the greatest benefit...

Last week, the Nobel Committees announced the much-anticipated Nobel Prize winners of 2023, honouring the contributions that, as per...

10th Oct 2023

The Nobel Prize Winners 2023: a snapshot of their patent footprints – Part 1 Physiology or Medicine

Last week, the Nobel Committees announced the much-anticipated Nobel Prize winners of 2023, honouring the contributions that, as per Alfred Nobel’s will of 1895, “have conferred the greatest benefit...

Last week, the Nobel Committees announced the much-anticipated Nobel Prize winners of 2023, honouring the contributions that, as per...

4th Sep 2023

Patents that missed selection for the 2023 Rugby World Cup

The Rugby World Cup is the third most-viewed sporting event in the world. Twenty teams, one winner. The 2023 edition kicks off in France on 9 September 2023, and...

The Rugby World Cup is the third most-viewed sporting event in the world. Twenty teams, one winner. The 2023...

31st Aug 2023

Wait times to patent examination and how to influence them

In Australia, the time between requesting examination of a patent application and receipt of an Examination Report (ER) can take longer than the 12-month period targeted by IP Australia,...

In Australia, the time between requesting examination of a patent application and receipt of an Examination Report (ER) can...

13th Jul 2023

Cultivating innovation: an in-depth look at New Zealand’s Plant Variety Rights landscape under the PVR Act 2022

It has been several months since the new Plant Variety Rights Act 2022 (New Act) entered into force in New Zealand, with the goal of modernizing its intellectual property...

It has been several months since the new Plant Variety Rights Act 2022 (New Act) entered into force in...

30th Jun 2023

Eugene Markush, with attributes selected from the group consisting of revolutionary, persistent and very fortunate

A little over one hundred years ago, on 9 January 1923, Eugene Markush filed a patent application for a pyrazolone dye, and used a particular combination of six words...

A little over one hundred years ago, on 9 January 1923, Eugene Markush filed a patent application for a...

7th Jun 2023

Patent filing strategies in the Gulf Cooperation Council

The Gulf Cooperation Council economies have grown and diversified in recent decades with an emphasis in shifting from a petroleum-based industry to a diversified economy. The region represents one...

The Gulf Cooperation Council economies have grown and diversified in recent decades with an emphasis in shifting from a...

19th May 2023

How to calculate patent expiry dates in the United States

Calculating patent expiries for most countries is relatively straightforward. Some countries even calculate it for you and display it in a field in their online databases. Why then, is it so...

Calculating patent expiries for most countries is relatively straightforward. Some countries even calculate it for you and display it in...