Ipr Vi
Ipr Vi
Ipr Vi
MODULE 7: PATENTS
________________________________________________________________
What is a patent?
1
What kind of inventions are protected?
- it must be new or novel, that is, it must show some new characteristic
which is not known in the body of existing knowledge (called “prior art”) in
its technical field.
2
How to protect your inventions?
3
How is a patent granted?
The first step in securing a patent is the filing of a patent application. The
patent application generally contains the title of the invention and a brief
statement of the technical field in which the invention lies, as well as
thebackground and a description of the invention in a manner sufficiently clear for
it to be evaluated and carried out by a person having ordinary skill in the arts.
Such descriptions are usually accompanied by visual materials such as
drawings, plans, or diagrams to better describe the invention. The application
also contains various “claims”, that is, information which determines the extent of
protection granted by the patent.
The patent rights are usually enforced in a court, which, in most systems,
holds the authority to stop patent infringement. Conversely, a court can also
declare a patent invalid upon a successful challenge by a third party.
4
What rights does a patent provide?
Furthermore, the patent owner may give permission to, or license, other
parties to use the invention on mutually agreed terms. The owner may also sell
the right to the invention to someone else, who will then become the new owner
of the patent.
5
How extensive is patent protection?
6
Why protect inventions by patents?