[Gllug] Euro Patent Law

[Rich Walker]

Formi <formi at blueyonder.co.uk> writes:

> On Tue, 1 Jul 2003, Rich Walker wrote:
> 
> > Alain Williams <addw at phcomp.co.uk> writes:
> >
> > > On Tue, Jul 01, 2003 at 02:56:20PM +0100, Rich Walker wrote:
> > > > Actually, once a patent has been published by the Patent Office there is
> > > > a formal period in which an objection can be filed - a chap we know used
> > > > to, as part of his job, read the publication register and file
> > > > objections to any patent that might interfere with his companies
> > > > business...
> > >
> > > And what happens next ?
> >
> > Your objections are filed with the patent office. The patent owner has
> > to counter them. Once the patent has been *granted* the observations
> > cannot change that fact, but before the grant the patent examiner can
> > refuse the grant.
> >
> > See http://www.patent.gov.uk/patent/indetail/observations.htm
> >
>    How about setting up something like a group of people who would
>  have a look at the new claims for patents and try to contact companies
>  that could be affected?

Could certainly be done. I suggest, though, that it would be simpler for
the group to just file objections. If a company is being threatened with
a patent, their first response should be to pull the Patent Office
correspondence, which will reveal the existence of those objections.

'Course, you might want to get some companies to *sponsor* it...


cheers, Rich.

-- 
rich walker | technical person | Shadow Robot Company | rw at shadow.org.uk
front-of-tshirt space to let     251 Liverpool Road   |
                                 London  N1 1LX       | +UK 20 7700 2487

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