Region: Asia-Pacific

The Australian Patents Regulations 1991 have been amended so that patent applicants are no longer required to disclose the results of documentary searches carried out by foreign patent offices for corresponding applications. Instead, IP Australia will use online searches to fulfil its mantra of “one search, one examination” as its vision of the future.

05 December 2007

Consultations are underway between the Australian patent office and interested parties on a number of proposals that would drastically curtail the existing divisional application regime. However, there are fears that reforming this practice could have dire financial consequences for small and medium-sized enterprises.

21 November 2007

When and whether to change a logo is one of the greatest challenges for businesses. A dramatic change can alienate customers, while refusing to update a logo can be seen as a failure to move with the times. Qantas’s alterations to its FLYING KANGAROO logo illustrate how businesses can strike the right balance, staying current while keeping customers happy.

10 October 2007

The Legislative <em>Yuan</em> has passed the Patent Attorney Act, which is due to come into effect early next year. The act will regulate the profession of patent attorney in Taiwan by establishing a national examination designed to test candidates on both their legal and technical knowledge of patent prosecution.

03 October 2007

The Australian pharmaceutical market, like many others, is a battleground for patentees and generic manufacturers. Changes in so-called ‘springboarding’ provisions aim to create a level playing field. However, the relatively low cost of litigation means that more companies are challenging each other through the court system.

26 September 2007

Australia’s pre-grant patent opposition system means that companies keeping a weather eye on the acceptance and/or grant of patents by competitors have the chance to file oppositions. However, such oppositions can go a number of ways – companies are advised to approach the opposition tactically in order to achieve the best result.

19 September 2007

Seeking overseas IP protection is a significant yet commonplace step in the commercialisation of intellectual property. However, it has the potential to take significant time and expense if not planned well. The following review suggests recommendations for handling the overseas filing process that can generate dramatic time and cost savings.

22 August 2007

New figures from IP Australia show that fewer than 5% of patent filings in Australia are for so-called ‘innovation’ patents, and that a disproportionately high number of these are made by private applicants. This suggests that few patent holders are using the system strategically, and that many patent holders are missing available opportunities.

01 August 2007

The president has passed two new IP laws that clear the way for Taiwan’s long-awaited IP court. The laws set out detailed provisions concerning the organisation of the courts and how they should be administered. It is expected that the Judicial Yuan will set an implementation date for the new laws in early 2008.

11 July 2007

The government has launched a consultation on the possibility of abolishing the requirement for patent applicants to provide details of prior art cited by foreign patent offices. Removing this requirement would significantly reduce the cost and administrative burden to patent applicants and is part of IP Australia’s plan to achieve an ideal patent system.

11 July 2007