Pipers

Stay up to date with the latest intellectual property developments from New Zealand and around the world.

Assistant Commissioner Allows Patent Applicant to Keep on Trucking

5th July 2023

In Mechanical System Dynamics Pty Ltd 2023 NZIPOPAT 10 the Assistant Commissioner withdrew the examiner’s obviousness objections after finding that the alleged invention is not obvious in relation to the cited prior art and that the examiner had provided no basis for arriving at the invention by mosaicking the prior art.

EPC National Validation Translation Requirements and the London Agreement – Rewards and Risks

30th May 2023

The London Agreement, which initially took effect in May 2008, has reduced some of the translation burden for patentees who use the EPC system, but in some instances it can also create an ‘out of sight out of mind’ risk.

(Ambiguous) Late Fee Change of Practice by IPONZ as PCT Receiving Office

19th May 2023

On the 18th May 2023 IPONZ advised that with effect from 15th May 2023 it no longer charges a late fee when the required collective Transmittal, International Filing and International Search fees for PCT International applications have not been paid or have inadequately been paid.

Hague Agreement Update

9th May 2023

As previously noted China (CN) became bound by the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs (Hague Agreement) a year ago on 5th May 2022.

Unified Patent Court and Unitary Patent System Commence on 1st June 2023

31st March 2023

After decades of negotiations amongst European Patent Convention (EPC) members the ability to be granted a single patent covering many (but not all) EPC contracting states which can be enforced in those states through one set of judicial proceedings will commence on 1st June 2023.