The International Expert Group on Biotechnology, Innovation and Intellectual Property today released a review of international trends in intellectual property law. The study analyzed current IP law from a multidisciplinary approach. Its findings are accordingly framed in broad terms of the social utility of IP law. The study divided IP law into two classes, ‘Old IP’ and ‘New IP’. ‘Old IP’ was characterized by a flood of patents being granted due to under regulation, and flows of knowledge being obstructed by companies and universities: ‘Research also showed that it was unclear whether patents actually increase inventiveness and dissemination’ (Executive Summary Page 5) ‘New IP’ is characterized by more stringent regulation, leading to less patents being granted, and the sharing of knowledge between developed and developing countries. The report makes a number of recommendations, with a recurrent theme of a collaborative approach between countries. See the report (including executive summary). See also an ABC article on this report.

Labels: Canada, Patent News

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) has announced further information will be available online in the Canadian Trade-marks Database. The CIPO Opposition Board will provide information on the status of trade mark oppositions and non-use proceedings (also known as "Section 45 cases").

The Canadian Trade-marks Database is available here.

Sources and for further information

Canadian Intellectual Property Office news - Coming Soon: Trade-marks Opposition and Section 45 information available online!

Labels: Canada

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) has announced the launch of new tools to assist with applying for industrial designs. Firstly, the Industrial Design Office section of CIPO's website now contains acceptable and non-acceptable sample drawings for design applications.

Additionally, a "Common Objections" document has been created to better explain some of the common objections made by the examiners during the examination of industrial designs.

Other useful documents available include A Guide to Industrial Designs and the Industrial Design Office Practices.

Sources and for further information

Canadian Intellectual Property Office News - New Industrial Design Tools

Canadian Intellectual Property Office - Industrial Design Office Practices - Annex B: Sample Drawings

Canadian Intellectual Property Office - Application for the Registration of an Industrial Design

Canadian Intellectual Property Office - A Guide to Industrial Designs

Canadian Intellectual Property Office - Industrial Design Office Practices

Labels: Canada

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) have recently announced their agreement to establish a pilot Patent Prosecution Highway between the two countries. The trial program is to run for the period of one year from early January 2008.

"By electing to proceed under the PPH initiative, patent applicants in both Canada and the U.S. will benefit from expedited examination to obtain corresponding patents faster and more efficiently. This initiative should also benefit both offices by facilitating the exploitation of the work performed by the other office, thereby improving patent quality and reducing the examination workload."

The US-Canadian Patent Prosecution Highway pilot program follows other such programs between the UK & US, the UK & Japan, the US & Japan, and Japan & Korea.

Sources & further information

Canadian Intellectual Property Office news - Canada-US Patent Prosecution Highway

Information about other Patent Prosecution Highways

IP Menu news - UK & USA - Patent Prosecution Highway opens between UK and USA

IP Menu news - UK, Japan & US - Patent Prosecution Highway updates

Labels: Canada, Resources, United States

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) has announced that all Canadian registered industrial designs from December 1961 onwards are now available on their website. The Canadian Industrial Designs Database now contains over 110,000 designs.

Sources & for further information

Canadian Intellectual Property Office news - Complete Collection of Canadian Industrial Design Registrations is Now Available!

Canadian Intellectual Property Office - Canadian Industrial Designs Database

Labels: Canada, Resources