News

15th Mar 2011

Key changes relating to the Pharmaceutical/Life Sciences areas: Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Raising the Bar) Bill 2011

The proposed transitional provisions are those which will govern the manner in which the new laws are applied. The transitional provisions of most concern are those set out in...

The proposed transitional provisions are those which will govern the manner in which the new laws are applied. The...

Read More

16th Feb 2011

Combined Examination for Australian and New Zealand Patent Applications

A future single examination process for patent applications made in both Australia and New Zealand was jointly announced by Prime Ministers Julia Gillard and John Key on 16 February...

A future single examination process for patent applications made in both Australia and New Zealand was jointly announced by...

Read More

1st Feb 2011

Change in Patent Office practice for divisional applications

On 1 February 2011 the Australian Patent Office published an amendment to their “Manual of Practice and Procedure” for Examiners. The amendment relates to the Patent Office’s internal handling...

On 1 February 2011 the Australian Patent Office published an amendment to their “Manual of Practice and Procedure” for...

Read More

30th Nov 2010

Final Report of a Senate Committee Inquiry into Gene Patents

Further to our recent News Alert on the “Gene Patent Debate” the final report of a Senate Committee Inquiry into the impact of patenting of human genes and genetic...

Further to our recent News Alert on the “Gene Patent Debate” the final report of a Senate Committee Inquiry...

Read More

25th Nov 2010

The Gene Patent Debate – Bill Seeks to Exclude Biological Materials from Patentability

Yesterday, NSW Liberal Senator Bill Heffernan, introduced the Patent Amendment (Human Genes and Biological Materials) Bill 2010 into Federal Parliament. The Bill has the potential for significant ramifications for...

Yesterday, NSW Liberal Senator Bill Heffernan, introduced the Patent Amendment (Human Genes and Biological Materials) Bill 2010 into Federal...

Read More

20th Oct 2010

Federal Court Considers “Commissioner’s Licence” Provisions of the Patents Act

When a patent ceases but is later restored as a result of the patentee obtaining an extension of time in which to do some act in relation to the...

When a patent ceases but is later restored as a result of the patentee obtaining an extension of time...

Read More

27th Aug 2010

Innovation Pathways Business Method Refused

In a recent decision (Invention Pathways Pty Ltd APO 10 (21 July 2010)), the Australian Patent Office held that a business method directed to a method for commercialising...

In a recent decision (Invention Pathways Pty Ltd APO 10 (21 July 2010)), the Australian Patent Office held...

Read More

21st Jul 2010

Official Fee Changes at IP Australia

The Australian Government has recently approved increases to certain patent fees by IP Australia. The fee increases relate only to patents. Fees relating to trademarks, designs, and plant breeder’s...

The Australian Government has recently approved increases to certain patent fees by IP Australia. The fee increases relate only...

Read More

5th May 2010

Federal Court Determines That “Double Patenting” Is Not a Basis for Revocation

The term “double patenting” is sometimes used to describe a situation where two patents exist simultaneously on the Register of Patents, whose specifications include one or more claims that...

The term “double patenting” is sometimes used to describe a situation where two patents exist simultaneously on the Register...

Read More

1st Apr 2010

Arbitron v Telecontrol Aktiengesellschaft [2010] FCA 302

Justice Emmett has recently handed down judgment in the above Federal Court proceeding concerning the validity and alleged infringement of a patent relating to the automatic recognition of widely...

Justice Emmett has recently handed down judgment in the above Federal Court proceeding concerning the validity and alleged infringement...

Read More

14th Dec 2009

High Court refuses special leave in the first case to consider the validity of innovation patents

An application for special leave to appeal to the High Court from the Full Federal Court’s decision in the Delnorth case (reported in an earlier news alert) was refused...

An application for special leave to appeal to the High Court from the Full Federal Court’s decision in the...

Read More

14th Oct 2009

USPTO Rescinds Controversial Patent Regulations Package

In a welcome development for U.S. patent applicants around the world, President Barack Obama’s newly appointed Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States...

In a welcome development for U.S. patent applicants around the world, President Barack Obama’s newly appointed Under Secretary of...

Read More