Patents and Trademarks, Lecture notes of Art

Download Patents and Trademarks and more Lecture notes Art in PDF only on Docsity! 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS PATENTS ........................................................................................................................... 2 VALIDITY ................................................................................................................................................................. 2 REQUIREMENTS ........................................................................................................................................................... 2 MANNER OF MANUFACTURE ...................................................................................................................................... 2 Generally inconvenient ........................................................................................................................................... 4 THRESHOLD TEST OF INVENTIVENESS ......................................................................................................................... 4 NOVELTY ...................................................................................................................................................................... 5 INVENTIVE STEP ........................................................................................................................................................... 9 UTILITY ....................................................................................................................................................................... 13 SECRET USE ................................................................................................................................................................ 15 INTERNAL REQUIREMENTS OF SPECIFICATION ....................................................................................................... 17 Provisional specifications .......................................................................................................................................... 17 Complete specifications ............................................................................................................................................ 18 Disclosure of invention & Best Method ................................................................................................................ 18 Ambiguity of claims (s40(3)) .................................................................................................................................. 19 OWNERSHIP + RIGHTS ........................................................................................................................................... 21 OWNERSHIP ............................................................................................................................................................... 21 EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS OF PATENTEE .............................................................................................................................. 21 PATENT INFRINGEMENT ........................................................................................................................................ 22 TRADEMARKS .................................................................................................................. 24 REGISTRABILITY ..................................................................................................................................................... 25 Is there a TM (s17)? ................................................................................................................................................... 25 Person must be able to apply for the TM (s27) ..................................................................................................... 26 GROUNDS FOR REJECTION .................................................................................................................................... 27 TM not capable of distinguishing (s41)? .................................................................................................................... 27 Identical or similar to other TMs (s44) ...................................................................................................................... 30 Does an Exception apply? – only available for s44(1) & s44(2) ............................................................................. 33 Connotations (s43)? .................................................................................................................................................. 34 OPPOSITION .......................................................................................................................................................... 35 Another TM with a reputation in Australia (s60) ....................................................................................................... 35 Application made in bad faith (s62A) ........................................................................................................................ 36 Applicant not the owner of the TM (s58) .................................................................................................................. 36 RIGHTS GIVEN BY TM REGISTRATION .................................................................................................................... 38 TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT ................................................................................................................................ 39 Use for same goods/services (s120(1)) ..................................................................................................................... 39 Use for similar/related goods or services (s120(2)) ................................................................................................... 43 Defence (s120(2))? ................................................................................................................................................ 47 EXCEPTIONS TO INFRINGEMENT ............................................................................................................................... 48 LOSING TM REGISTRATION .................................................................................................................................... 51 Removal for non-use ................................................................................................................................................. 51 Rectification of the Register ...................................................................................................................................... 54 Licensing and ‘Authorised users’ ........................................................................................................................... 56 2 PATENTS *** All legislative references are to the Patents Act 1990 (Cth), unless otherwise stated. VALIDITY REQUIREMENTS An invention is patentable if it: (s18) 1. Is an invention; and 2. Is a manner of manufacture within the meaning of s6 of the Statute of Monopolies; and a. Is not generally inconvenient per s6 of Statute of Monopolies; and 3. Is novel when compared with the prior art base before the priority date; and 4. Involves an inventive step when compared with the prior art base before the priority date: 5. Is useful; and 6. Was not secretly used before the priority date; and • It passes internal requirements (s40) MANNER OF MANUFACTURE Invention must be a manner of manufacture w/in meaning of s6 of Statute of Monopolies (s18(1)(a)). • Considered at examination (s45(1)(b)); absence is a ground for opposition (s59(b)) and revocation (s138(3)(b)). What is a manner of manufacture? • Includes both a product and process (NRDC) • Does not include mere discoveries or new ideas (Rogers) Guiding principles per NRDC: 1. Results in artificially created state of affairs; and 2. With physically observable effect; and 3. With some practical use in field of economic endeavour (economic utility). For a process: • The process results in an artificially created state of affairs (NRDC) – is the outcome the result of human application? • The process results in something in which a new and useful effect may be observed – “something” need not be a ‘thing’ in the sense of an article; it may be any physical phenomenon in which the effect may be observed o E.g. a building, an explosion or an electrical oscillation (NRDC). o In Grant, the FFC required a “physical effect in the sense of a concrete effect or phenomenon or manifestation or transformation” – mere schemes, abstract ideas, and intellectual information (mathematical algorithms, formulas, calculations etc) are not patentable (they are discoveries, not inventions); • The process must have value to the country in the field of economic endeavour (economic utility). I.e. it has industrial, commercial or trading character and is a useful art and not a fine art (NRDC). • NRDC stressed that the judiciary must remain flexible, so none of the above principles should be seen as “immutable” – principles are to be applied flexibly as technological developments and inventions are excitingly unpredictable. 5 NOVELTY Invention must be novel when compared to PAB as it existed before the priority date (s18(1)(b)(i)) • The priority date of a claim is generally the date of filing the specification (s43(2)(b)) o If all essential features of the invention are disclosed in the provisional specification, the claims are entitled to the earliest priority date (i.e. filing date of the provisional specification) (Rescare) • Presumption of novelty unless, in eyes of relevantly skilled person, its essential integers are anticipated by information in prior art base before priority date of claim (s7(1)) • Novelty issues can be raised at examination (s45(1)(b)); absence is a ground for opposition (s59(b)) and revocation (s138(3)(b)). • The party alleging lack of novelty bears the onus of proof, standard on the BoP (JMVB). 1. Identify the prior art The following kinds of information can be considered: • PAI made publicly available in a single document or through doing a single act (s 7(1)(a)); • PAI made publicly available in 2 or more related documents, or through doing 2 or more related acts, if the relationship between the documents or acts is such that a person skilled in the relevant art would treat them as a single source of that information (s 7(1)(b)); • PAI contained in a single patent specification which was filed but not published at the priority date of the claim under consideration (s 7(1)(c)) PAB defined in Sch 1 to include: Priority Date Standard Patent Pre 1 May 1991 Patents Act 1952 (Cth) Documents and acts published in Australia 1 May 1991 – 31 March 2002 Patents Act 1990 (Cth) Documents publically available worldwide Acts publically available in Australia 31 March 2002 - Present Patents Act 1990 (Cth) Documents and acts publically available worldwide Prohibition on mosaics for assessing novelty (Nicaro). • Not permitted to make a mosaic of out of multiple independent disclosures, that are insufficient in themselves to amount to anticipation, to argue that the invention is not novel (Ramset; Nicaro) • However, s7(1)(b) allows 2/more related documents or 2/more related acts to be considered a single source of information if relationship between them is such that a PSRA would treat them as a single source of that information. • NB: Cannot combine a document and an act for novelty purposes. • Example: CAN COMBINE DOCS o Where specification refers to named patents, and this reference clearly incorporates the other document to form a consistent whole (Nicaro). • Example: CANNOT COMBINE DOCS o Where reference merely identifies the other document (Nicaro). o Description of prior publication for purpose of teaching away from it, dismissing it or as disclosing something out-dated or defective (Nicaro). • No authority on when can combine acts. o Possibly: a demonstration of a machine and an oral explanation of how it works. 6 1.1. Is it publically available? • Requisite degree of publication is met if there is communication to any one member of the public in a manner that leaves that person free, in law and equity, to make use of that information (Merck). • Information not publically available if disclosure in circs that impose an obligation of confidence on recipient (Griffin) • Irrelevant whether information is known to many/few (Sunbeam) or whether a person has access to the information (Merck). • Public information = magazines & newspapers (Merck), publically available websites (Merck), published patent specifications irrespective of language (Dennison) Disclosure through single act/related acts • Requires clear evidence that the location of act/use was open to members of the public, which can include private property (Costa) • Acts = use (Azuko) or demonstration (Griffin) of a device, product or process that embodies the invention in a manner that discloses all essential features of the invention. • Disclosure = distribution of samples (Fomento), manufacture of devices and products (Bristol-Myers), display of product at public event (Insta Image), sale or offers to sell the invention (Bristol-Myers), can be in an oral conversation (Phillip Morris) • Disclosure of all essential integers in prior art information will still be made out if it includes the words ‘needs to be tested’ (Merck - specifically for drug patents – otherwise, no publication could amount to anticipation unless clinical trials had been conducted). 1.2. Disclosures excluded from PAB: • The following publically available info must be disregarded when assessing novelty: o Disclosure with consent of patentee, nominated person or predecessor in title in one of the prescribed circumstances (below) (s24(1)(a)) o Non-consensual disclosure (i.e. breach of confidence) (s24(1)(b)) Prescribed circumstance Period to file complete specification Reg General grace period: any publication or use of invention within 12 months before filing date of complete application 12 months (but not relevant when inventor has already lodged provisional application) 2.2C Recognised exhibition: the showing or use of the invention at a recognised exhibition (international exhibition) 6 months after the first showing or use + must state in application when you file 2.2 Published paper: the publication of the invention in a paper written by inventor and (i) read before learned society; OR (ii) published with inventor’s consent by/oh behalf of learned society 6 months after first reading or publication 2.2A Reasonable trial: the working in public of the invention within period of 12 months before priority date of a claim for invention (i) For purposes of reasonable trial; AND (ii) because of nature of invention, it is reasonably necessary for the working to be in public 12 months 2.2B Non-consensual disclosure: breach of confidence 12 months from day when information becomes publically available 2.2D 7 2. Person skilled in the relevant art (PSRA)? Court must make comparison with PAI through eyes of hypothetical person with ordinary skill in the relevant art at priority date (Lundbeck) Ø In this case, PSRA would be.... • In Lockwood the PSRA was a ‘lock designer’ – analogize. The hypothetical PSRA is: • Skilled in the relevant art(s) or science(s); • Non-inventive; • Possess the best available equipment (Root Quality); • May be a team, whose combined skills are to be employed (Pfizer: e.g. in a pharmaceutical dispute, the notional team would include a medicinal chemist and a medical practitioner experienced in the relevant area) • Attributed common general knowledge. 3. Does [PAI] anticipate the claim? • Apply the reverse infringement test (Lundbeck): if PAI discloses every integer of the claim, then claim lacks novelty. • Would the prior art infringe the invention as claimed in any claim? If yes, then prior art anticipates claim. • Infringement = product/process contains all essential integers of the claimed invention. • Thus, prior art made publically available must disclose all essential integers clearly and plainly to the skilled person (Minnesota Mining; Ramset; Hill). Ø Essential integers in claim 1 are... Ø [PAI #] discloses... General novelty principles • Court will give claim a purposive construction w/ presumption that all disclosed integers are essential unless PSRA would think otherwise (Catnic). • Person of ordinary knowledge of the subject must at once perceive, understand and be able to practically apply the discovery without the need to make further experiments or gain further information before the invention can be made useful (Hill). o Further experiments = those performed with a view to discovering something not disclosed (Nicaro; Lundbeck). o Does not include = experiments forming part of standard procedure or CGK, ordinary methods of trial and error (Lundbeck). • There will clearly be anticipation when relevant prior art information discloses exactly what is claimed (Lundbeck). • As the prior art information is evaluated through the eyes of a skilled addressee, something less than exact disclosure can amount to anticipation, provided that all the essential integers can be read out of that prior art information (Lundbeck; Nicaro). Examples of anticipation in apparent absence of explicit details: • The claim as properly construed shows the variation to be an inessential integer (Ramset) • The skilled addressee would find the information implicit and would clearly infer the existence of that feature with the benefit of common general knowledge (Lundbeck; Ramset) • A direction, recommendation or suggestion is implicit in what is described (Bristol-Myers; Lundbeck). However, there would be no anticipation if pursuit of those directions requires the exercise of inventive ingenuity or the taking of any inventive step (Lundbeck; Nicaro)