This document provides an overview of Indian patent law and procedures. It discusses what a patent is, the need for patents, types of patents, the Patents Act of 1970 and its key features. It outlines patent rights, filing procedures, criteria for patentability including novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability. It also describes who can file a patent, patent terms, procedures, specifications, claims, opposition proceedings, revocation, and infringement. In conclusion, it notes that India acknowledges the importance of patents for industry and commerce.
1. GUIDED BY-
SHRI. O. N. VERMA
(ASSIS. PROFESSOR OF PLANT BREEDING AND GENETICS)
PRESENTED BY-
JANHAVI MAURYA
(B.SC. AG. 3RD YR 1ST SEM.)
S. K. COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE OF RESEARCH STATION
KAWARDHA ( KABIRDHAM) C.G.
2. CONTENT
WHAT IS PATENT?
NEED OF PATENT
TYPES OF PATENT
PATENT LAW 1970
PATENT LAW SAILENT FEATURES
PATENT RIGHTS
FILING OF RIGHTS
CRIETRIA OF PATENTABILITY OF AN INVENTIONS
WHO CAN FILE OF PATENT?
TERMS OF PATENT
PATENT PROCEDURES
PATENT SPECIFICATIONS
PATENT CLAIMS
OPPOSITIONAL PRECEEDINGS
REVOCATION OF PATENTS
CONCLUSION
3.
4.
5.
6.
7. THE PATENTS ACT 1970, ALONG WITH THE PATENTS RULES 1972, CAME INTO
FORCE ON 20TH APRIL 1972, REPLACING THE INDIAN PATENTS AND DESIGNS
ACT 1911. THE PATENTS ACT WAS LARGELY BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS
OF THE AYYANGAR COMMITTEE REPORT HEADED BY JUSTICE N. RAJAGOPALA
AYYANGAR.
THE PATENT ACT 1970
8.
9. PATENT RIGHTS:
The Act provides for patent protection for inventions relating to both
processes and products.
In case of patents relating to product, the grant provides exclusive right to
prevent unauthorized persons from making, using, offering for sale, selling
or importing the product in India.
In case of patents relating to process, the patentee receives an exclusive
right to prevent unauthorized persons from using the process and offering
for sale, selling or importing for those purposes the product obtained directly
from the process in India. Product produced by the process is also
protected.
10. FILING OF PATENT
The jurisdiction for filing the patent application depends upon:
Indian applicant(s): determined according to place of residence, place of
business of the applicant or where the invention actually originated.
Foreign applicant(s): determined by the address for service in India.
11. CRITERIA FOR PATENTABILITY OF AN INVENTION:
The criteria for patentability of an invention are:
novelty,
inventive step and
industrial applicability.
Section 2(1)(j) of the Patent Act, 2005, defines the "invention" as a new product
or as process involving an inventive step and capable of industrial application.
Under the Act "New invention" is defined under section 2(1)(l) of the Patents Act
"New invention" means any invention or technology which has not been
anticipated by publication in any document or used in the country or
elsewhere in the world before the date of filing of patent application with
complete specification, i.e., the subject matter has not fallen in public domain
or that it does not form part of the state of the art.
12. NOVELTY-
The quality of being new and different is called
novelty
NOVELTY RULE-
An invention is not new and therefore not patentable
if it was known to the public before the filing date of
the patent application, or before its date of priority if
the applicant claims priority of an earlier patent
application.
13. EXCEPTIONS TO THE NOVELTY RULE:
There are a few exceptions where the rule of novelty
is not applicable. These cases are as follows:
Subject matter published without the consent of the
inventor.
The invention was published in consequence of the
display in an exhibition notified by the Government
or reading the paper before a Learned Society.
Grace period of 12 months is given in such cases to
file the patent application.
Previous communication to Government of India.
Public working for reasonable trials.
14. "INVENTIVE STEP"
"Inventive Step" is defined under Section 2 (1) (ja) of the "Act". Prior to
the Amendment of 2005, inventive step meant a feature that makes the
invention not obvious to a person skilled in the art. The new Act of 2005
defined inventive step more precisely.
15. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY.
The landmark decision of Calcutta High Court on the process of
production of Bursitis virus containing vaccine (Dimminaco AG vs
Controller of Patents, 2002) changed the practice and now the definition
of invention is interpreted keeping in mind the term ‘industrial
application’ as under section 2(1)(j).
The Act defines ‘capable of industrial application’ in relation to an
invention as capable of being made or used in an industry.
An invention is capable of industrial application if it satisfies the three
conditions cumulatively:
1) can be made;
2) can be used in at least one field of activity;
3) can be reproduced with the same characteristics as many as
necessary.
16. WHO CAN FILE A PATENT APPLICATION?
An application for a patent for an invention can
be made by any of the following persons either
alone or jointly with another:
true and first inventor
his /her legal assignee
legal representative of deceased inventor or
assignee
17. TERM OF PATENT:
The term of every patent granted under the Act is twenty years from the
date of filing.
5 yrs duration- for food, drugs
14yrs duration- for other products and processes
Renewal fee is required to be paid annually to keep the patent in force.
Restoration of patents is possible if applied within 18 months from the
date of lapse.
19. PATENT SPECIFICATION
Contents of specifications.—
1) Every specification, whether provisional or complete, shall describe
the invention and shall begin with a title sufficiently indicating the subject-
matter to which the invention relates.
(2) Subject to any rules that may be made in this behalf under this Act,
drawings may, and shall, if the Controller so requires, be supplied for the
purposes of any specification, whether complete or provisional; and any
drawings so supplied shall, unless the Controller otherwise directs be
deemed to form part of the specification, and references in this Act to a
specification shall be construed accordingly.
(3) If, in any particular case, the Controller considers that an application
should be further supplemented by a model or sample of anything
illustrating the invention or alleged to constitute an invention, such model
or sample as he may require shall be furnished before the application is
found in order for grant of a patent, but such model or sample shall not
be deemed to form part of the specification.
(4) Every complete specification shall— (a) fully and particularly
describe the invention and its operation or use and the method
20. by which it is to be performed; (b) disclose the best
method of performing the invention which is known
to the applicant and for which he is entitled to claim
protection; and (c) end with a claim or claims
defining the scope of the invention for which
protection is claimed; (d) be accompanied by an
abstract to provide technical information on the
invention.
21. PATENT CLAIMS
Priority dates of claims of a complete specification.—
1) There shall be a priority date for each claim of a complete
specification.
(2) Where a complete specification is filed in pursuance of a single
application accompanied by—
(a) a provisional specification; or
(b) a specification which is treated by virtue of a direction under
supervision.
(3) Where the complete specification is filed or proceeded with in
pursuance of two or more applications accompanied by such
specifications
22. OPPOSITION PROCEEDINGS:
The Indian Patent system provides for two opposition proceedings, one before the grant of the
patent and one after the grant of the patent.
The grounds for Pre and Post Grant Opposition are the same namely:
wrongful obtaining,
prior publication,
prior claiming,
prior public knowledge and use,
obviousness,
not an invention,
insufficiency,
failure to file the information regarding foreign filing under Section 8
convention application not made within 12 months,
not disclosing or wrongly mentioning the source and geographical
origin of biological material in the complete specification,
complete specification was anticipated having regard to the knowledge, oral or otherwise
available within any local or indigenous community in India or elsewhere (traditional knowledge).
23. PRE-GRANT OPPOSITION PROCEDURE:
The pre grant representation may be filed by any person within six months of date of
publication of the application or before the grant of the patent whichever is later. It may be
noted that the Controller is empowered to grant the patent soon after six months from date
of publication.
The pre-grant opposition proceeding may be carried out in parallel with the Examination
proceeding.
The opponent is required to submit statement and evidence, if any, in support of the
representation and request for a hearing if he so desires. However, the representation is not
considered by the Controller unless a request for examination is filed by the applicant.
On receipt of the request for examination from the applicant, the Controller initiates
Examination proceeding and also issues a notice to the applicant along with the copy of the
statement and evidence filed by the opponent.
The applicant may file his statement and evidence in support of his application within three
months from the date of the notice. Thereafter, after the Controller has considered the
submission and the representations made, the the patent is either granted or rejected. The
acceptance may be with or without amendment to the specification. The decision is issued
ordinarily within one month from the date of the completion of the proceedings. It may be
noted that no fee is required to be paid for entering into pre-grant opposition. An appeal can
be filed in the appellate board against such decision.
24. POST-GRANT OPPOSITION PROCEDURE:
The process of post grant opposition initiates with a notice of
opposition filed by the opponent (who is an ‘interested person’)
within 1 year from the date of publication of grant along with full
written statement and evidence to the Controller. The patentee is
required to file a reply statement and evidence within
Two months failing which, the application will be abandoned. This
time period is extendible by one month provided the request for
extension is filed within the two-month period. Reply evidence filed
by opponents is to be strictly confined to patentee’s evidence.
Further evidence may however be filed with the leave of the
Controller.
All the documents are handed over to the Opposition Board
constituted by the Controller for recommendation. Controller takes
decision after a hearing along with the members of the Opposition
Board. An appeal may be made against the decision before the
Appellate Board within three month from date of the order.
25. REVOCATION OF PATENTS
1) Subject to the provisions contained in this Act, a patent, whether
granted before or after the commencement of this Act, may, be revoked
on a petition of any person interested or of the Central Government by
the Appellate Board or on a counter-claim in a suit for infringement of the
patent by the High Court on any of the following grounds, that is to say—
(a) that the invention, so far as claimed in any claim of the complete
specification, was claimed in a valid claim of earlier priority date
contained in the complete specification of another patent granted in
India;
(b) that the patent was granted on the application of a person not entitled
under the provisions of this Act to apply therefore:
(c) that the patent was obtained wrongfully in contravention of the rights of
the petitioner or any person under or through whom he claims;
(d) that the subject of any claim of the complete specification is not an
invention within the meaning of this Act;
(e) that the invention so far as claimed in any claim of the complete
specification is not new, having regard to what was publicly known or
publicly used in India before the
26. INFRINGEMENT
Powers of Controller in case of potential infringement.—( If, in consequence of the
investigations required under this Act, it appears to the Controller that an invention
in respect of which an application for a patent has been made cannot be performed
without substantial risk of infringement of a claim of any other patent, he may direct
that a reference to that other patent shall be inserted in the applicant's complete
specification by way of notice to the public, unless within such time as may be
prescribed—
(a) the applicant shows to the satisfaction of the Controller that there are reasonable
grounds for contesting the validity of the said claim of the other patent; or
(b) the complete specification is amended to the satisfaction of the Controller.
Where, after a reference to another patent has been inserted in a complete
specification in pursuance of a direction under sub-section (1)—
(a) that other patent is revoked or otherwise ceases to be in force; or
(b) the specification of that other patent is amended by the deletion of the relevant
claim; or (c) it is found, in proceedings before the court or the Controller, that the
relevant claim of that other patent is invalid or is not infringed by any working of the
applicant's invention, the Controller may, on the application of the applicant, delete
the reference to that other patent.
27. CONCLUSION:
India has always acknowledged the importance of a strong patent system
for the development of industry and commerce, which is evident for the
amendments done to bring India at par with the modern world. With the
promulgation of the product patent regime in India, most of the countries
are now looking for business opportunities. There has been a
considerable rise in the patent filing. Innovators and inventors from all
fields of technology are keen on protecting their intellectual property.