IP Australia's Patent Office has introduced an online facility that now gives patent applicants and owners an easy and secure system for the electronic filing of patent applications and the ongoing management of those applications and any granted patents.
Applicants (or their patent attorneys) can now apply online for:
- a provisional application for a patent;
- a standard patent application; and
- an innovation patent application.
Electronic filing is cheaper than lodging a paper application. One important difference to note, however, is that it is necessary to make a declaration about entitlement at the time of filing. This means that it is necessary for an applicant to provide written confirmation prior to filing electronically that the applicant has entitlement from the inventor and, if the applicant is not the applicant of the priority application, that entitlement has been obtained from the applicant of the priority application. Without this information, it will be necessary to file a paper application, at the higher cost.
For further information please contact:
Matthew Hall, Partner
Phone: +61 2 9233 5544
Email: mdh@swaab.com.au
Kelly Marshall, Solicitor
Phone: + 61 2 9233 5544
Email: kbm@swaab.com.au
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
