standard patent

What’s the priority date for a divisional patent?

1 Comment / Patents / / / , , , , ,

Mont has an innovation patent for a travel pack.

It sued Phoenix for infringing the innovation patent; Phoenix  counter-claimed for invalidity on the grounds of Mont’s own use commencing in October 2004.

Patents Act 1990 s 24 (read with Reg. 2.2(1A)) provides a patentee with a grace period: protecting the patentee against attacks on grounds of lack of novelty or inventive step/innovative step by reason of the patentee’s own authorised use or disclosure within the 12 months prior to “the filing date of the complete specification”.

The background was as follows:

In October 2004, it had started offering travel packs made according to the invention for sale.

In May 2005, it filed a complete application (with a complete specification) for a standard patent.

In November 2006, however, it filed a complete application (and of course a complete specification) for an innovation patent as a divisional application from the earlier standard application and this application matured into the innovation patent.

The trial judge had found that the “grace period” had to be calculated from the date of filing the complete specification for the divisional application, not the parent.

The Full Court has now allowed an appeal ruling that “the complete specification” referred to in reg. 2.2(1A) in the case of a divisional application is the complete specification for the parent.

Jagot J (with whom Emmett J agreed) explained the rationale:

76 By the provisions relating to divisional applications, the Act and Regulations establish a scheme in which an applicant may ensure that a claim for an invention that the applicant has previously disclosed in a complete specification as filed and which is within the scope of the claims of the complete specification as accepted takes a priority date as if the claim had been included in that earlier complete specification. The scheme thus ensures that the requirements of novelty and inventive step or innovative step for the claims within the divisional application (which are essential determinants of the validity of the patent application) are assessed by reference to a priority date established by the date of the earlier (or parent or original), rather than the later (or divisional) specification.
77 All features of this statutory scheme for divisional applications are consistent. Hence, the claims in any patent granted on a divisional application take the priority date of the claims in the earlier (or parent or original) application. Publications or uses of the claimed invention, after that priority date, cannot affect the validity of any patent granted. The term of any patent granted on a divisional application is also taken to have started on the same date as the date of the earlier (or parent or original) application.

76 By the provisions relating to divisional applications, the Act and Regulations establish a scheme in which an applicant may ensure that a claim for an invention that the applicant has previously disclosed in a complete specification as filed and which is within the scope of the claims of the complete specification as accepted takes a priority date as if the claim had been included in that earlier complete specification. The scheme thus ensures that the requirements of novelty and inventive step or innovative step for the claims within the divisional application (which are essential determinants of the validity of the patent application) are assessed by reference to a priority date established by the date of the earlier (or parent or original), rather than the later (or divisional) specification.

77 All features of this statutory scheme for divisional applications are consistent. Hence, the claims in any patent granted on a divisional application take the priority date of the claims in the earlier (or parent or original) application. Publications or uses of the claimed invention, after that priority date, cannot affect the validity of any patent granted. The term of any patent granted on a divisional application is also taken to have started on the same date as the date of the earlier (or parent or original) application.

Similarly Bennett J said [49]:

49 The scheme of the Act provides that, where the invention of the divisional was disclosed in the parent, the publication or use of the invention within 12 months before the filing date of the parent must be disregarded for the purposes of assessing the novelty and inventive/innovative step of each of the parent and the divisional, provided that a patent application for the invention is filed within the prescribed period. This applies where the divisional is of a parent standard patent or a parent innovation patent. Where the invention of the divisional was disclosed in the parent, the words “the complete application” in reg 2.2(1A) refer to the parent application and not to the divisional application.

Jagot J also provided a detailed rebuttal of Phoenix’ contentions.

Mont Adventure Equipment Pty Ltd v Phoenix Leisure Group Pty Ltd [2009] FCAFC 84

ps: IPTA was granted leave to intervene (and while advocating the view that the Full Court adopted, was ordered to pay any additional costs incurred by the parties as a result of the intervention).

pps:a patentee who needs to rely on a grace period to preserve the validity of the patent in Australia may well still lose the patent outside Australia where the grace period does not apply

What’s the priority date for a divisional patent? Read More »

Re-examining a patent

1 Comment / Patents / / / , , , ,

VIP Plastic Packaging is suing BMW Plastics for infringing the former’s standard patent for a “Variable-length dip tube for a fluid transfer container”.

BMW Plastics denies infringement and has counter-claimed for invalidity.

Now, Kenny J has refused BMW Plastics’ attempt to get an order to have the Commissioner re-examine VIP Plastic Packaging’s patent.

Section 97 provides for re-examination of a standard “patent” in 3 situations:

  1. following acceptance, but prior to grant;
  2. following grant (when no other relevant proceedings are on foot in the Court); or
  3. following a direction from the Court in the course of relevant proceedings.

In the first situation, the Commissioner can refuse to grant the patent following re-examination. In the second, the Commissioner can revoke. In the third, the Commissioner just prepares a report which (presumably) forms part of the evidence before the Court.

As reported by her Honour, BMW Plastics’ thinking was that the Commissioner could provide the benefit of technical expertise which the Court might otherwise not have and there might be a costs saving. To this end, it was prepared to undertake not to contest the findings of the Commissioner’s report. VIP Plastic Packaging refused to reciprocate and, rather heroically, BMW Plastics contended that Court should order VIP Plastic Packaging to be bound too.

Kenny J was (with respect) justifiably sceptical about the costs savings that might flow:

I doubt that the provision of a report by the Commissioner after re-examination would reduce the cost of this proceeding and expedite its determination. First, the Commissioner’s report after re-examination is not binding on the Court. In the absence of an undertaking of the kind sought by B.M.W. Plastics from VIP Plastic, the provision of a report under s 100 will not necessarily relieve the Court of the task of deciding the issues of novelty and lack of inventive step by reference to the admissible evidence. If the Commissioner’s report were unfavourable to VIP Plastic, it would desire to put on evidence and dispute the report. There may be additional issues for the Court to determine if it receives such a report. Further, both parties said that, regardless of the lack of novelty and inventive step grounds, there will be a need for evidence, including expert evidence, to be adduced before the Court on various other issues. In the circumstances, I am not persuaded that re-examination by the Commissioner would be most expeditious or reduce costs.

(my underlining)

VIP Plastic Packaging Pty Ltd v BMW Plastics Pty Ltd [2009] FCA 593

Re-examining a patent Read More »

Scroll to Top