The EPO is now running into some practical problems with the new rules.
It can happen that you get a communication stamped "Examining Division" on EP entry.
However, this is not the "first communication fro the Examining Division: for filing divisionals.
You may also be asked to respond to the first office action even if its not required. But legally there will be no loss of rights if you don't respond.
Good luck explaining this to a formalities officer in your firm ;-)
Monday, July 19, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Get tips from past EQE candidates
The annual EQE candidate survey is available here
Although it is a long read, it does give useful comments on exam locations, hotels, books and courses people used, how they prepared, and comments for future candidates (page 117 onwards).
There is no "golden" route that works for everybody - you have to find your own way, but the most important points are:
Although it is a long read, it does give useful comments on exam locations, hotels, books and courses people used, how they prepared, and comments for future candidates (page 117 onwards).
There is no "golden" route that works for everybody - you have to find your own way, but the most important points are:
- Make a plan
- Don't start preparation too late - depends on your work, family & social commitments
- Reading is not enough - practice applying the law (doing questions, past papers)
- Don't underestimate C and DII
- Practice writing by hand
- Get feedback from tutors / colleagues etc on your answers to papers
Sunday, June 6, 2010
More info on EPO being a SISA
From 1/7/2010, the EPO will offer Supplementary International Searches. This will almost certainly be in the D paper.
An overview of the information is here
Some details of procedures are found in the rest of the May OJ EPO here
The Applicants Guide (WIPO) has been updated with a SIS entry for the EPO here
An overview of the information is here
Some details of procedures are found in the rest of the May OJ EPO here
The Applicants Guide (WIPO) has been updated with a SIS entry for the EPO here
Monday, May 3, 2010
New: Basic IP Courses
Two new courses - these are not EQE courses, but beginners courses, found here. For these courses, I tried to include a lot of the things that I wish I has learned when I started out.They will be offer back-to-back in the same week as the first is the ideal preparation for the second.
The first is an Introduction to Patents, aimed at anyone who wants or needs to know about patents. This could be trainee patent attorneys, but also any one who needs to review a patent or judge their quality, such as inventors, IP coordinators or IP managers. Practical exercises are used to explain claiming.
The second is Claim Drafting in Electricity/Mechanics, aimed at trainee patent attorneys who want a quick way to become competent at drafting. With the necessary theoretical background and practical drafting exercises, the procedure from invention to patent application is illustrated and practiced.
The first is an Introduction to Patents, aimed at anyone who wants or needs to know about patents. This could be trainee patent attorneys, but also any one who needs to review a patent or judge their quality, such as inventors, IP coordinators or IP managers. Practical exercises are used to explain claiming.
The second is Claim Drafting in Electricity/Mechanics, aimed at trainee patent attorneys who want a quick way to become competent at drafting. With the necessary theoretical background and practical drafting exercises, the procedure from invention to patent application is illustrated and practiced.
New: Winning Oppositions and Appeals course
Another new course, for practicing patent attorneys and IP lawyers who want to go beyond the "EQE-level" of knowledge to get more confidence when dealing with these cases. Although in-depth legal knowledge of novelty and inventive step, practicals aspects are also dealt with such as auxiliary requests, oral proceedings, anticipating the next procedural stage.A lot of the contents is based upon my own experience, and this is a course I would have like to have followed myself a few years ago.
It is part of our Continuous Education For Patent Attorneys program, found here, which provides training and seminars in subjects important in daily life, and given from the patent attorney point-of-view, not the EPO point-of-view.
It is part of our Continuous Education For Patent Attorneys program, found here, which provides training and seminars in subjects important in daily life, and given from the patent attorney point-of-view, not the EPO point-of-view.
New: Distance Learning for legal part of paper D
Our distance learning package for the paper D legal part is now available here for EQE 2011.
This unique course concept allows you to study the EPC/PCT whenever and wherever you want, but with the security and guidance of individual feedback, and a steady study and homework schedule to get you through the material. We already have a couple of people doing this, so I defined a package for it.
This legal training is the perfect preparation before participating in our Correction Papers program, which can also be done at distance.
This unique course concept allows you to study the EPC/PCT whenever and wherever you want, but with the security and guidance of individual feedback, and a steady study and homework schedule to get you through the material. We already have a couple of people doing this, so I defined a package for it.
This legal training is the perfect preparation before participating in our Correction Papers program, which can also be done at distance.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
All links should now be updated
We recently launched a new website at www.deltapatents.com
The only problem is that all the addresses are changed, and the old links don't work anymore.
I have finally gone through all the posts, and all the links should work.
The only problem is that all the addresses are changed, and the old links don't work anymore.
I have finally gone through all the posts, and all the links should work.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Final version Guidelines AND potential EQE 2011 Exam topics
The provisional version of the Guidelines from December has now been finalized.
It is available here.
This should be the version that you will use for EQE 2011 – it is unlikely they will update it again this year.
The notice below gives the changes compared to the last finalized version of April 2009.
We have not yet identified any changes since the provisional version of December.
However, as the exam committee likes to ask questions on things that have changed, you can consider this list as an overview of potential exam topics.
It is available here.
This should be the version that you will use for EQE 2011 – it is unlikely they will update it again this year.
The notice below gives the changes compared to the last finalized version of April 2009.
We have not yet identified any changes since the provisional version of December.
However, as the exam committee likes to ask questions on things that have changed, you can consider this list as an overview of potential exam topics.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
DII paper - EQE 2010 - possible issue
The reference to EP1 by EPKM is a problem for enablement.Withdrawing EP1 solves this, but EP1 is the first application for the signal.
I did the exam in the office under exam conditions, and I admit I missed the complication - I read the Guidelines, and simply suggested withdrawing EP1. To get the broadest invention patented (signal), I suggested claiming priority of EP1 with EP3.
I thought of it afterwards, so I asked a couple of knowledgeable people and they didn't know for certain either.
I did the exam in the office under exam conditions, and I admit I missed the complication - I read the Guidelines, and simply suggested withdrawing EP1. To get the broadest invention patented (signal), I suggested claiming priority of EP1 with EP3.
I thought of it afterwards, so I asked a couple of knowledgeable people and they didn't know for certain either.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Thanks to patents, I work in the top Micro City in Europe !
Eindhoven scores thanks to patents
The leading British newspaper Financial Times has named Eindhoven a European City of the Future for 2010/11:
Every year, the Financial Times magazine fDI rates European cities and regions based on their respective economical achievements. After more than 6 months of researching 223 cities in Europe, Eindhoven was placed 10th in the Western European City category, and 1st in the 'Micro Cities' category for cities with less than 250.000 residents.
Eindhoven’s performance was due to high scores for economic potential and business friendliness, based on criteria such as the number of patents, number of companies in R&D and high-tech manufacturing, employment in the knowledge-intensive sector, forecast growth rate, and innovation index.
The full article can be read here
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