How Blockchain & Smart Contracts are Disrupting IP

Join us in-person at INTA AM 16-20 May 2023 in Singapore for our panel on How Blockchain and Smart Contracts are Disrupting IP - trademarks, designs, copyright, patents & trade secrets. Registration for members & non-members opens Jan 11, 2023.

Patent application 101 for startups - Part 1/3

Martijn Rutten has many years of experience dealing with software startups. He has some interesting perspectives to share about patents, and in particular software patents. There will eventually be 3 parts.

Some comments by Pete Pollard :

• These are great experiences to share - I talk to many people with old-fashioned ideas about patents. IP supports your business, not the other way around
• Killing the copycats : if you file a patent application, it is published at 18 months. So anyone in the world can copy it from that moment. But you cannot really take any legal action until your patent is granted in the relevant country, which could be years later. Bear this in mind when reviewing the application.
• Wear the invisibility cloak : good ideas on Kickstarter etc are copied, and something similar will appear for sale within weeks - e.g. Pressy / Xioami Key
• Innovation speed : as you keep innovating, you need to make sure that earlier patent applications still cover the final products. Freedom to operate: your are not untouchable if you own the patent. A patent allows you to stop others from making/selling what is claimed, as well as improvements to that basic idea. It is like a tree branches - you can be stopped by anyone upstream, but you can stop anyone downstream.Preventing Bogus Patents: also the European Patent Office accepts such third-party disclosures.
• Publish It!: Publications made in Research Disclosures are always searched by major patent offices. It is as good as abandoned applications.
• Filing only after the A-round : such services can help you prove that you were in possession of an invention at a particular date. Eg a dispute over inventorship. I-depots are better . But you can only have a priority date if you file at a patent office.

Presentation and panel on Patents as a Complimentary Asset

On Tu 28 Apr, panel discussion CT51 was planned on how patents could be used to improve and support branding. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, INTA 2020 Singapore was cancelled.

Review: using EPC.App for Paper D - EQE 2019

Last year, IP.appify GmbH launched its revolutionary approach to preparing for the legal part of the EQE. See this post for my positive experiences using their EPC.App under exam conditions. I am proud to be now working with Till Andlauer, Stefan Ahlers & Thomas Eißfeller to get PCT.App ready for EQE 2020.

EQELIBRIUM camps - learning by doing EQE papers

A vital part of any exam preparation is to practice exams. By solving papers in a group, you benefit from the ideas and insights of others. Just as important is the social aspect - you spend a few days in the Polish mountains with other candidates who have similar issues and struggles. In particular, non-native speakers and re-sitters benefit a lot from considering different points of view.

Presentation and panel on the Future of IP Law Firms

On Sun 19th May, we hosted a panel discussion on how interconnected networks will be key to the future of IP firms - CSU55 (Sun 2:30 - 3:45pm). Click on the picture for more details.

For trainee patent attorneys: using the DII exercises to become fit to practice

Every year, the EPO hosts a Tutor's Meeting where EQE tutors discuss the last exams with the Examination Committee's who made them. On 18 Oct 2018, Pete Pollard (Fireball Patents) talked about why the DII part (Legal Opinion) of the D paper should be embraced by trainees, tutors & mentors to prepare trainees for their working life. By developing certain real-life skills, trainees can efficiently develop their own methodology to score enough marks at the exam to pass.

Alternative Patent Licensing

Startups often worry about future conflicts with other patent holders. This guide discusses initiatives to protect groups and members.
Unified Patents is free to join if your turnover is less than $ 20 million.

12 ways to manage global patent costs

A short article from the WIPO magazine by Quantify IP, giving some tips which can be used by those looking for patent protection in many countries.

North-Brabant: Regional & National Subsidies for SME's

This table gives a short overview (in Dutch) of the possibilities at different stages of growth